understand
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Alternative forms
- understaund (obsolete)
[edit] Etymology
From Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan (“to understand”), from Proto-Germanic *under (“between”) + *standanan (“to stand”), equivalent to Old English under- (“between, inter-”) + standan (“to stand”). Cognate with Eastern Frisian understunda (“to understand”), Old High German understantan (“to understand”), Middle Danish understande (“to understand”). Compare also Dutch onderstaan (“to undertake, presume”), German unterstehen (“to be subordinate”). More at inter-, stand.
[edit] Pronunciation
- enPR: ŭn"də(r)-stănd', IPA: /ˌʌn.də(r)ˈstænd/, SAMPA: /%Vnd@(r)"st{nd/
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Audio (US) (file) -
Audio (UK) (file) - Rhymes: -ænd
- Hyphenation: un‧der‧stand
[edit] Verb
understand (third-person singular simple present understands, present participle understanding, simple past and past participle understood)
- (transitive) To be aware of the meaning of.
- I understand German.
- I received your note, but I did not understand it.
- To believe, based on information.
- I understand that you have information for me.
- To impute meaning, character etc. that is not explicitly stated.
- But we cannot disappoint Grandma and Grandpa Smith, and that is what family is all about! Do you understand?!
- In this sense, the word is usually used in the past participle:
- In the imperative mood, the word “you” is usually understood.
- (Should we delete(+) this sense?) To apply values (axioms).
[edit] Usage notes
- Objects: text, word, sentence, note, etc.
[edit] Synonyms
- (to know the meaning): apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, perceive, realise, grok
- (to believe): believe
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
to be aware of the meaning of
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to believe, based on information
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to impute meaning, character etc. that is not explicitly stated
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- understand in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- understand in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
[edit] Statistics
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Most common English words before 1923: fear · evening · ground · #429: understand · fine · law · show
