English
understand
Pronunciation
  • (RP) enPR: ŭn(′)dər-stănd', IPA: /(ˌ)ʌndəˈstænd/,
  • (America) enPR: ŭn′dər-stănd', IPA: /ˌʌndɚˈstænd/, [ˌʌɾ̃ɚˈstænd], [ˌʌɾ̃ɚˈsteə̯nd]
  • (Ireland) IPA: /ˌɞndəɹˈstand/
Verb

understand (understands, present participle understanding; 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: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], OCLC 16832619 ↗:
      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.
    • 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, except in, circus, acrobatics) To stand underneath, to support.
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