Library / English Dictionary

UNDERSTAND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: understood   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

Example:

I understand what she means

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "understand"):

apprehend; compass; comprehend; dig; get the picture; grasp; grok; savvy (get the meaning of something)

sense (comprehend)

follow (grasp the meaning)

catch; get (grasp with the mind or develop an understanding of)

touch (comprehend)

interpret; read; translate; understand (make sense of a language)

read (to hear and understand)

construe; interpret; see (make sense of; assign a meaning to)

make out (comprehend)

figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)

bottom; fathom; penetrate (come to understand)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence examples:

They won't understand the story

Sam and Sue understand the movie

Derivation:

understandable (capable of being apprehended or understood)

understanding (the cognitive condition of someone who understands)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Perceive (an idea or situation) mentally

Example:

I don't understand the idea

Synonyms:

realise; realize; see; understand

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Verb group:

envision; fancy; figure; image; picture; project; see; visualise; visualize (imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind)

see (see and understand, have a good eye)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "understand"):

perceive (become conscious of)

appreciate; take account (be fully aware of; realize fully)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

understandable (capable of being apprehended or understood)

understanding (the cognitive condition of someone who understands)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Believe to be the case

Example:

I understand you have no previous experience?

Synonyms:

infer; understand

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "understand" is one way to...):

believe (accept as true; take to be true)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They understand him to write the letter

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make sense of a language

Example:

Can you read Greek?

Synonyms:

interpret; read; translate; understand

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "understand" is one way to...):

understand (know and comprehend the nature or meaning of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

understandable (capable of being apprehended or understood)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Be understanding of

Example:

You don't need to explain--I understand!

Synonyms:

empathise; empathize; sympathise; sympathize; understand

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

understandable (capable of being apprehended or understood)

understanding (an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Although its mechanism of action is not fully understood, busulfan appears to act through the alkylation of DNA.

(Busulfan, NCI Thesaurus)

Astrocytes have high- affinity transmitter uptake systems, voltage-dependent and transmitter-gated ion channels, and can release transmitter, but their role in signaling (as in many other functions) is not well understood.

(Murine Astrocytes, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The branch of psychobiology that tries to understand cognitive functioning, including intellectual, memory, and related neurocognitive processes, by understanding the way that genes, proteins, and molecules interact.

(Molecular Psychobiology, NCI Thesaurus)

Others who have "been there" may be able to help and will understand.

(Alzheimer's Caregivers, NIH: National Institute on Aging)

Researchers don't fully understand how acupuncture works.

(Acupuncture, NIH: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)

I understand but one, replied the cat, modestly.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Everything united in him; good understanding, correct opinions, knowledge of the world, and a warm heart.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

The lineage of the natural killer (NK) cell is currently not well understood.

(Activated Natural Killer Cell, NCI Thesaurus)

Scientists still don't fully understand what causes Alzheimer's disease.

(New Link Found between Alzheimer's & Gum Disease Bacteria, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

He took the pipe from his mouth and said simply, "I do not understand."

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)