understand

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To know the meaning of something; to comprehend.

   They did not understand what I was explaining.

2. 2
   verb

   To know a language well enough to follow it.

   They understand French.

3. 3
   verb

   To believe something is true based on what you have heard.

   I understand you have no previous experience?

4. 4
   verb

   To know how someone feels and be sympathetic toward them.

   You don't need to explain — I understand.

Common collocations

• understand by Verb + preposition/particle

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 onder…

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