understand */*/*/

UK [ˌʌndə(r)ˈstænd] / US [ˌʌndərˈstænd] verb [never progressive]
Word forms "understand":
present tense I/you/we/they understand he/she/it understands present participle understanding past tense understood UK [ˌʌndə(r)ˈstʊd] / US [ˌʌndərˈstʊd] past participle understood

Metaphor:

Understanding something is like seeing it. If it is easy to understand, it is easy to see. I see what you mean. ♦ I saw through him at once: I knew he was lying. ♦ They recognized the fact that they needed to improve. ♦ She has great insight and will know what to do. ♦ I could not foresee what would happen. ♦ He's very clear-sighted. ♦ There was a change in the public perception of education. ♦ The answer is very obvious. ♦ I'm unclear about what they did next. ♦ She had a clear understanding of what was involved. ♦ Their motives are transparent. ♦ How did you know? You must have read my mind. ♦ I can read him like a book. ♦ They turned a blind eye to what was happening there. Understanding something is like holding or touching it. She has a good grasp of Japanese. ♦ I need to get to grips with the subject. ♦ I'm still grappling with the basics. ♦ I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was definitely something wrong. ♦ You've certainly got your finger on the pulse. ♦ Such abstract concepts can be very slippery. ♦ It's quite a difficult idea to get hold of. ➡ intelligence, knowledge, mind, opinion

1)

a) [intransitive/transitive] to know what someone or something means

If you don't understand, just put your hand up.

The instructions were difficult to understand.

I don't understand a word you're saying.

Luke nodded as if he understood perfectly.

understand what/where/whether etc:

I don't quite understand where you want me to put it.

b) to know what something spoken or written in a particular language means

I'm sorry, I don't understand French.

2) [intransitive/transitive] to know how or why something happens, or what effect or influence something has

Do they fully understand the implications of their decision?

understand how/why/what etc:

We are only beginning to understand how the brain functions.

understand (that):

Please try to understand that we want the best for you.

3) [intransitive/transitive] to know how someone feels or why someone does something, as a result of experience or by imagining what it must be like to be them

He says his wife doesn't understand him.

I understand your concern, but the operation is completely safe.

I can understand your reluctance to talk about what happened.

understand how/why/what:

Does she understand why he doesn't want to see her?

understand someone/someone's doing something:

I can understand him not inviting Joan (= understand why he does not invite her).

4) [transitive] formal to believe that something is true because you have heard or read it somewhere

understand (that):

We understand that a major announcement is to be made tomorrow.

be understood to do something:

Mr Lang is understood to favour more traditional teaching methods.

it is understood that:

It is understood that £2.5 million has been set aside to develop the scheme.

5) [transitive, usually passive] to recognize that a word or phrase is missing in a sentence and that you have to imagine that it is there

The object of the verb is understood with words such as "to smoke" and "to read".

•

(do you) understand? — spoken used for emphasizing that someone should do what you are telling them

Don't ever try that again! Do you understand?

give someone to understand (that) — formal to tell someone something, or to make them think that something is true

She's been asking to see you, or so I've been given to understand.

(is that) understood? — spoken used for emphasizing, especially in a threatening way, that someone should do what you are telling them

No one is to leave before five. Is that understood?

- be understood

- make yourself understood