forstand

Meaning

1. To stand against; stand in front of so as to bar the way; block; oppose; withstand.
2. To understand; comprehend.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: forstanden

Inherited from Old English: forstandan

Cognate with Western Frisian: ferstean

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: ferstounde

Cognate with Dutch: verstaan

Cognate with German: verstehen

Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål: forstå

Cognate with Swedish: förstå

In summary

From Middle English forstanden, from Old English forstandan (“to defend, help, protect, withstand, prevent, hinder, resist, oppose, benefit, avail, understand, signify, be equal to”), from Proto-West Germanic *frastandan (“to understand, oppose”), equivalent to for- + stand. Cognate with West Frisian ferstean (“to understand”), Saterland Frisian ferstounde (“to understand”), Dutch verstaan (“to understand”), German verstehen (“to understand”). Compare also Norwegian Bokmål forstå (“to comprehend, understand”), Swedish förstå (“to comprehend, understand”).