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===Etymology===
===Etymology===
From {{inh|en|enm|understanden}}, from {{inh|en|ang|understandan||t=to understand}}, from {{der|en|gem-pro|*under|t=between}} + {{m|gem-pro|*standaną|t=to stand}}, equivalent to {{cog|ang|under-|t=between, inter-}} + {{m|ang|standan|t=to stand}}. Cognate with {{cog|ofs|understonda|t=to understand, experience, learn}}, {{cog|goh|understantan|t=to understand}}, Middle {{cog|da|understande|t=to understand}}. Compare also {{cog|stq|understunda}}, {{m|stq|unnerstounde|t=to dare, survey, measure}}, {{cog|nl|onderstaan|t=to undertake, presume}}, {{cog|de|unterstehen|t=to be subordinate}}. More at {{l|en|inter-}}, {{l|en|stand}}.
From {{inh|en|enm|understanden}}, from {{inh|en|ang|understandan||t=to understand}}, from {{inh|en|gmw-pro|*understandan|t=to stand between, understand}}, from {{inh|en|gem-pro|*understandaną|t=to stand between, understand}}, equivalent to {{cog|ang|under-|t=between, inter-}} + {{m|ang|standan|t=to stand}} (Modern English {{af|en|under-|stand}}). Cognate with {{cog|ofs|understonda|t=to understand, experience, learn}}, {{cog|goh|understantan|t=to understand}}, Middle {{cog|da|understande|t=to understand}}. Compare also {{cog|stq|understunda}}, {{m|stq|unnerstounde|t=to dare, survey, measure}}, {{cog|nl|onderstaan|t=to undertake, presume}}, {{cog|de|unterstehen|t=to be subordinate}}.


===Pronunciation===
===Pronunciation===

Revision as of 05:43, 17 March 2022

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan (“to understand”), from Proto-West Germanic *understandan (“to stand between, understand”), from Proto-Germanic *understandaną (“to stand between, understand”), equivalent to Old English under- (“between, inter-”) + standan (“to stand”) (Modern English under- +‎ 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”).

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)

  1. (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'm sorry. I don't understand.
    Please try to understand. It's not you, it's me.
  2. To believe, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge.
    I understand that you have a package for me?
    In the imperative mood, the word “you” is usually understood.
  3. (humorous, rare, obsolete outside circus, acrobatics) To stand underneath, to support.

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

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

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Translations to be checked

See also

Further reading

Anagrams

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