understand

[ uhn-der-stand ]
/ ˌʌn dərˈstænd /

verb (used with object), un·der·stood, un·der·stand·ing.

verb (used without object), un·der·stood, un·der·stand·ing.

Origin of understand

before 900; Middle English understanden, understonden, Old English understondan; cognate with Dutch onderstaan. See under-, stand

SYNONYMS FOR understand

1 See know1.

OTHER WORDS FROM understand

pre·un·der·stand, verb, pre·un·der·stood, pre·un·der·stand·ing.

British Dictionary definitions for preunderstanding

understand
/ (ˌʌndəˈstænd) /

verb -stands, -standing or -stood

(may take a clause as object) to know and comprehend the nature or meaning of I understand you; I understand what you mean
(may take a clause as object) to realize or grasp (something) he understands your position
(tr; may take a clause as object) to assume, infer, or believe I understand you are thinking of marrying
(tr) to know how to translate or read can you understand Spanish?
(tr; may take a clause as object; often passive) to accept as a condition or proviso it is understood that children must be kept quiet
(tr) to be sympathetic to or compatible with we understand each other

Derived forms of understand

understandable, adjective understandably, adverb

Word Origin for understand

Old English understandan; related to Old Frisian understonda, Middle High German understān step under; see under, stand

Idioms and Phrases with preunderstanding

understand

see give to understand.