Wiktionary

understand

English Edit

 
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Alternative forms Edit

Etymology Edit

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 Edit

Verb Edit

understand (third-person singular simple present understands, present participle understanding, simple past and past participle understood)

  1. (transitive) To grasp a concept fully in one's mind, especially (of words, statements, art, etc.) to be aware of the meaning of and (of people) to be aware of the intent of.
    I'm sorry. I don't understand.
    Please try to understand. It's not you, it's me.
    • 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, London: Heinemann, →OCLC, page 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.’
  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 Edit

  • 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.

Conjugation Edit

Conjugation of understand
infinitive (to) understand
present tense past tense
1st-person singular understand understood
2nd-person singular understand, understandest† understood, understoodest†
3rd-person singular understands, understandeth† understood
plural understand
subjunctive understand understood
imperative understand —
participles understanding understood, understanded†

†Archaic or obsolete.

Synonyms Edit

Antonyms Edit

Derived terms Edit

Translations Edit

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See also Edit

Further reading Edit

Anagrams Edit

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