understand

(ŭn'dər-stănd')

v., -stood (-stʊd'), -stand·ing, -stands.

v.tr.

1. To perceive and comprehend the nature and significance of; grasp. See synonyms at apprehend.
2. To know thoroughly by close contact or long experience with: That teacher understands children.
3. 1. To grasp or comprehend the meaning intended or expressed by (another): They have trouble with English, but I can understand them.
   2. To comprehend the language, sounds, form, or symbols of.
4. To know and be tolerant or sympathetic toward: I can understand your point of view even though I disagree with it.
5. To learn indirectly, as by hearsay: I understand his departure was unexpected.
6. To infer: Am I to understand you are staying the night?
7. To accept (something) as an agreed fact: It is understood that the fee will be 50 dollars.
8. To supply or add (words or a meaning, for example) mentally.

v.intr.

1. 1. To have understanding, knowledge, or comprehension.
   2. To have sympathy or tolerance.
2. To learn something indirectly or secondhand; gather.

[Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan : under-, under- + standan, to stand.]

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verb

1. To perceive directly with the intellect: apprehend, compass, comprehend, fathom, grasp, know. Scots ken. See knowledge/ignorance.
2. To perceive and recognize the meaning of: accept, apprehend, catch (on), compass, comprehend, conceive, fathom, follow, get, grasp, make out, read, see, sense, take, take in. Informal savvy. Slang dig. Chiefly British twig. Scots ken. Idioms: gethavea handle on, get the picture. See understand/misunderstand.
3. To arrive at (a conclusion) from evidence or reasoning: conclude, deduce, deduct, draw, gather, infer, judge. See reason/unreason.

v

Definition: appreciate, comprehend
Antonyms: misinterpret, misunderstand

v

Definition: think, believe
Antonyms: disbelieve, mistake

IN BRIEF: v. - Know and comprehend the nature or meaning of; Perceive (an idea or situation) mentally.

Things I don't understand don't destroy my faith in the things I do understand. — Richard L. Evans

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For a list of words related to understand, see:

• Knowledge and Understanding - understand: grasp the idea or meaning of; comprehend

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See words rhyming with "understand."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Understand.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - forstå, fatte, begribe, indse, mene, lades forstå, få at vide, forstå sig på
v. intr. - forstående

idioms:

• be given to understand    blive gjort bekendt med
• understand each other    forstå hinanden

Nederlands (Dutch)
begrijpen, begrip hebben voor, verstaan, op de hoogte zijn (van), verstand hebben (van), vernemen, (eruit) opmaken, aannemen, opvatten te verstaan/kennen worden gegeven

Français (French)
v. tr. - comprendre, croire que, être entendu, (Ling) être sous-entendu
v. intr. - comprendre, comprendre (qn)

idioms:

• be given to understand    laisser entendre, donner à comprendre
• understand each other    se comprendre

Deutsch (German)
v. - verstehen, meinen, im stillen hinzufügen

idioms:

• be given to understand    man gibt jmdm. zu verstehen
• understand each other    einander verstehen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - εννοώ, κατανοώ, καταλαβαίνω, αντιλαμβάνομαι, υποθέτω, συνάγω, συμπεραίνω, μαθαίνω, πιστεύω, έχω κατανόηση, υπονοώ, εξυπακούω

idioms:

• be given to understand    μου δίνουν να καταλάβω
• understand each other    καταλαβαίνουμε ο ένας τον άλλο

Italiano (Italian)
comprendere, capire, apprendere

idioms:

• be given to understand    far credere
• understand each other    capirsi

Português (Portuguese)
v. - entender

idioms:

• be given to understand    dar a entender
• understand each other    entender-se mutuamente

Русский (Russian)
понимать, смыслить в чем-л., предполагать, истолковывать, узнать, подразумевать

idioms:

• be given to understand    подразумеваться
• understand each other    ладить друг с другом

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - comprender, entender, captar, sobreentender
v. intr. - tener comprensión, ser comprensivo, creer, tener entendido

idioms:

• be given to understand    dar a entender
• understand each other    entenderse, comprenderse

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - förstå, uppfatta

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
了解, 闻知, 领会, 懂得, 认为

idioms:

• be given to understand    得知
• understand each other    互相理解, 相互同情, 明了彼此的意见或观点, 相互勾结

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 瞭解, 聞知, 領會
v. intr. - 懂得, 認為

idioms:

• be given to understand    得知
• understand each other    互相理解, 相互同情, 明瞭彼此的意見或觀點, 相互勾結

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 이해하다, ~의 뜻을 알아채다
v. intr. - 알다, 이해력이 있다

idioms:

• be given to understand    ~라고 전해 듣다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 理解する, 解釈する, 頭の中で補う, 聞いている, 聞いて知っている, 推測する, 知識がある, 理解を示す

idioms:

• understand each other    了解している

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) فهم, ادرك, استنتج, استنبط‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הבין, תפס, הסיק, למד‬
v. intr. - ‮הבין‬

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