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corrected æ to æ̃ in general american pronunciation |
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# {{lb|en|transitive}} To [[grasp]] a [[concept]] [[fully]] and [[thoroughly]], [[especially]] {{lb|en|of words, statements, art, etc.}} to be [[aware]] of the [[meaning]] of and {{lb|en|of people}} to be [[aware]] of the [[intent]] of. |
# {{lb|en|transitive}} To [[grasp]] a [[concept]] [[fully]] and [[thoroughly]], [[especially]] {{lb|en|of words, statements, art, etc.}} to be [[aware]] of the [[meaning]] of and {{lb|en|of people}} to be [[aware]] of the [[intent]] of. |
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#* {{RQ:Besant Ivory Gate|chapter=Prologue|passage=Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, '''understood''' him very well.}} |
#* {{RQ:Besant Ivory Gate|chapter=Prologue|passage=Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, '''understood''' him very well.}} |
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#* {{quote-book|en|year=1950|last=Hubbard|first=L. Ron|authorlink=L. Ron Hubbard|title={{w|Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health|Dianetics}}|url=https://archive.org/details/dianeticspowerof0000hubb/|publisher={{w|New Era Publications}}|year_published=1999|ISBN=1-903820-14-6|OCLC=59128428|page=ix|pageurl=https://archive.org/details/dianeticspowerof0000hubb/page/n10/|text=In reading this book, be very certain you never go past a word you do not fully '''understand'''.}} |
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#* '''1991''', {{w|Stephen Fry}}, ''The Liar'', p. 20: |
#* '''1991''', {{w|Stephen Fry}}, ''The Liar'', p. 20: |
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#*: ‘I came back here, had a [[wank]] and finished that book.’<br>‘''{{w|The Naked Lunch}}?''’<br>‘Yeah.’<br>‘What did you reckon?’<br>‘[[crap|Crap]].’<br>‘You're just saying that because you didn't '''understand''' it,’ said Adrian.<br>‘I'm just saying that because I did '''understand''' it,’ said Tom. ‘[[any road up|Any road up]], we'd better start making some toast.’ |
#*: ‘I came back here, had a [[wank]] and finished that book.’<br>‘''{{w|The Naked Lunch}}?''’<br>‘Yeah.’<br>‘What did you reckon?’<br>‘[[crap|Crap]].’<br>‘You're just saying that because you didn't '''understand''' it,’ said Adrian.<br>‘I'm just saying that because I did '''understand''' it,’ said Tom. ‘[[any road up|Any road up]], we'd better start making some toast.’ |
Revision as of 17:53, 12 March 2022
English
Alternative forms
- understaund (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan (“to understand”), from Proto-Germanic *under (“between”) + *standaną (“to stand”), equivalent to Old English under- (“between, inter-”) + standan (“to stand”). Cognate with Old Frisian understonda (“to understand, experience, learn”), Old High German understantan (“to understand”), Middle Danish understande (“to understand”). Compare also Saterland Frisian understunda, unnerstounde (“to dare, survey, measure”), Dutch onderstaan (“to undertake, presume”), German unterstehen (“to be subordinate”). More at inter-, stand.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: ŭn(′)dər-stănd', IPA(key): /(ˌ)ʌndəˈstænd/,
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: ŭn′dər-stănd', IPA(key): /ˌʌndɚˈstæ̃nd/, [ˌʌɾ̃ɚˈstæ̃nd], [ˌʌɾ̃ɚˈsteə̯nd]
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "Ireland" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˌɞndəɹˈstand/
Audio (UK): (file) Audio (US): (file) - Rhymes: -ænd
- Hyphenation: un‧der‧stand
Verb
understand (third-person singular simple present understands, present participle understanding, simple past and past participle understood)
- (transitive) To grasp a concept fully and thoroughly, especially (of words, statements, art, etc.) to be aware of the meaning of and (of people) to be aware of the intent of.
- 1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
- Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
- 1950, L. Ron Hubbard, Dianetics[1], New Era Publications, published 1999, →ISBN, →OCLC, page ix:
- In reading this book, be very certain you never go past a word you do not fully understand.
- 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 20:
- ‘I came back here, had a wank and finished that book.’
‘The Naked Lunch?’
‘Yeah.’
‘What did you reckon?’
‘Crap.’
‘You're just saying that because you didn't understand it,’ said Adrian.
‘I'm just saying that because I did understand it,’ said Tom. ‘Any road up, we'd better start making some toast.’
- ‘I came back here, had a wank and finished that book.’
- I'm sorry. I don't understand.
- Please try to understand. It's not you, it's me.
- To believe, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge.
- 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess[2]:
- ‘I understand that the district was considered a sort of sanctuary,’ the Chief was saying.
- 2013 June 14, Sam Leith, “Where the Profound Meets the Profane”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 37:
- Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths.
- I understand that you have a package for me?
- In the imperative mood, the word “you” is usually understood.
- (humorous, rare, obsolete outside circus, acrobatics) To stand underneath, to support.
- c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]:
- LAUNE: Ay, and what I do too: look thee, I'll but lean, and my staff understands me.
SPEED: It stands under thee, indeed.
LAUNCE:Why, stand-under and under-stand is all one.
Usage notes
- In its sense of "imputing meaning", use is usually limited to the past participle understood.
- The obsolete perfect form understanded is occasionally found, e.g. in the Book of Common Prayer and the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church.
Synonyms
- (to fully grasp a concept): apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, perceive, pick up what someone is putting down, realise, grok
- (to believe one grasps a concept): believe
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
to grasp the meaning of
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to believe one grasps the meaning of
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to believe
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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See also
Further reading
- “understand”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “understand”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ænd
- Rhymes:English/ænd/3 syllables
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with quotations
- English terms with usage examples
- English humorous terms
- English terms with rare senses
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English irregular verbs
- English raising verbs
- English words prefixed with under-
- en:Thinking