understand
/ˌʌndɚˈstænd/ verb A2- To know the meaning of; to parse or have parsed correctly; to comprehend. · Can you repeat what you just said? I didn't understand.
- To know the meaning of.
- To be thoroughly familiar with; to be able to undertake properly. · The students understood the assignment.
- To comprehend a fact or principle; to regard or come to regard a belief as such. · I understand that company policy says I can't get a refund, but can you make an exception?· There's been no formal declaration, but it's understood that a state of war exists between the two countries
- To know the intent, motives or character of; (of events) to know the causes of or reasons for. · One day you say you love me, the next you ignore me—I don't understand you!
- To believe or infer, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge. · I've been given to understand that you have a package for me?· At least four people are understood to have been injured.
- To regard as present when not. · In the imperative mood, the word “you” is usually understood.
Plural understand · He/she/it understands · Past understood · Past participle understood · -ing form understanding
Verb forms
- Base form
- understand
- He/she/it
- understands
- Past
- understood
- Past participle
- understood
- -ing form
- understanding
An irregular verb: learn its past and past participle by heart.
From the library
Miller, I had indeed to go campaigning before, but I was barbed from counter to tail, and a man went along to groom me; and now I cannot understand what ailed me to prefer the mill before the battle.” “Forbear,” said the Miller to him, “harping on what was of yore, for it is the common lot of mortals to sustain the ups and downs of fortune.”
“I understand how you feel,” said the little girl, who was truly sorry for him.
“But,” replied the owner, glancing after Dantès, who was watching the anchoring of his vessel, “it seems to me that a sailor needs not be so old as you say, Danglars, to understand his business, for our friend Edmond seems to understand it thoroughly, and not to require instruction from anyone.”
He became greatly frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but she could not understand.
Other matches
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