Dictionary entry details
• UNDERSTAND (verb)
Meaning:
Know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Context examples:
She did not understand her husband / I understand what she means
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "understand"):
apprehend; compass; comprehend; dig; get the picture; grasp; grok; savvy (get the meaning of something)
bottom; fathom; penetrate (come to understand)
figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)
make out (comprehend)
construe; interpret; see (make sense of; assign a meaning to)
read (to hear and understand)
interpret; read; translate; understand (make sense of a language)
touch (comprehend)
catch; get (grasp with the mind or develop an understanding of)
follow (grasp the meaning)
sense (comprehend)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sentence examples:
They won't understand the story
Sam and Sue understand the movie
Meaning:
Perceive (an idea or situation) mentally
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
realize; see; understand; realise
Context examples:
Now I see! / I just can't see your point / Does she realize how important this decision is? / I don't understand the idea
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "understand"):
perceive (become conscious of)
appreciate; take account (be fully aware of; realize fully)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Meaning:
Make sense of a language
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
understand; translate; interpret; read
Context examples:
She understands French / Can you read Greek?
Hypernyms (to "understand" is one way to...):
understand (know and comprehend the nature or meaning of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Meaning:
Believe to be the case
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
understand; infer
Context example:
I understand you have no previous experience?
Hypernyms (to "understand" is one way to...):
believe (accept as true; take to be true)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sentence example:
They understand him to write the letter
Meaning:
Be understanding of
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
empathise; empathize; sympathize; sympathise; understand
Context example:
You don't need to explain--I understand!
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
