Understanding

Understanding
Understand Un`der*stand" ([u^]n`d[~e]r*st[a^]nd"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Understood} (([u^]n`d[~e]r*st[oo^]d"),), and Archaic {Understanded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Understanding}.] [OE. understanden, AS. understandan, literally, to stand under; cf. AS. forstandan to understand, G. verstehen. The development of sense is not clear. See {Under}, and {Stand}.] 1. To have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning or intention of; to have knowledge of; to comprehend; to know; as, to understand a problem in Euclid; to understand a proposition or a declaration; the court understands the advocate or his argument; to understand the sacred oracles; to understand a nod or a wink. [1913 Webster]

Speaketh [i. e., speak thou] so plain at this time, I you pray, That we may understande what ye say. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

I understand not what you mean by this. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Understood not all was but a show. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

A tongue not understanded of the people. --Bk. of Com. Prayer. [1913 Webster]

2. To be apprised, or have information, of; to learn; to be informed of; to hear; as, I understand that Congress has passed the bill. [1913 Webster]

3. To recognize or hold as being or signifying; to suppose to mean; to interpret; to explain. [1913 Webster]

The most learned interpreters understood the words of sin, and not of Abel. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

4. To mean without expressing; to imply tacitly; to take for granted; to assume. [1913 Webster]

War, then, war, Open or understood, must be resolved. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

5. To stand under; to support. [Jocose & R.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{To give one to understand}, to cause one to know.

{To make one's self understood}, to make one's meaning clear. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Understanding — Un der*stand ing, n. 1. The act of one who understands a thing, in any sense of the verb; knowledge; discernment; comprehension; interpretation; explanation. [1913 Webster] 2. An agreement of opinion or feeling; adjustment of differences;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • understanding — I (agreement) noun accord, accordance, alliance, arrangement, common view, compact, compliance, concord, concordance, congruence, consentaneity, contract, cooperation, covenant, harmony, like mindedness, meeting of minds, mutual pledge, pact,… …   Law dictionary

  • understanding — [adj] accepting, tolerant compassionate, considerate, discerning, empathetic, forbearing, forgiving, generous, kind, kindly, patient, perceptive, responsive, sensitive, sympathetic; concepts 401,542 Ant. intolerant, unaccepting understanding [n1] …   New thesaurus

  • Understanding — Un der*stand ing ([u^]n d[ e]r*st[a^]nd [i^]ng), a. Knowing; intelligent; skillful; as, he is an understanding man. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • understanding — UK US /ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ/ noun [C] ► an informal agreement: »Taiwan and Hong Kong reached an understanding for a five year commercial air agreement. → See Note AGREEMENT(Cf. ↑agreement) …   Financial and business terms

  • understanding — [un΄dərstan′diŋ] n. 1. the mental quality, act, or state of a person who understands; comprehension, knowledge, discernment, sympathetic awareness, etc. 2. the power or ability to think, learn, judge, etc.; intelligence; sense 3. a specific… …   English World dictionary

  • understanding — (n.) O.E. understandincge comprehension, from UNDERSTAND (Cf. understand) (q.v.). Meaning mutual agreement is attested from 1803 …   Etymology dictionary

  • understanding — 1 *reason, intuition Analogous words: comprehension, apprehension (see under APPREHEND): *discernment, discrimination, insight, penetration 2 *agreement, accord …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • understanding — ► NOUN 1) the ability to understand something. 2) the power of abstract thought; intellect. 3) an individual s perception or judgement of a situation. 4) sympathetic awareness or tolerance. 5) an informal or unspoken agreement or arrangement. ►… …   English terms dictionary

  • understanding — noun 1 knowledge of a subject, of how sth works, etc. ADJECTIVE ▪ complete, comprehensive, full ▪ He showed a full understanding of the sequence of events. ▪ growing ▪ accurate …   Collocations dictionary

  • understanding — I adj. understanding about, of II n. agreement 1) to arrive at, come to, reach an understanding 2) a clear; secret; tacit; verbal; written understanding 3) an understanding about; with (we reached a tacit understanding with them about the matter) …   Combinatory dictionary

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