understand

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive, transitive, usually) To know the meaning of; to parse or have parsed correctly; to comprehend.
2. (intransitive, transitive, usually) To know the meaning of; to parse or have parsed correctly; to comprehend.
3. (transitive, usually) To be thoroughly familiar with; to be able to undertake properly.
4. (transitive, usually) To comprehend a fact or principle; to regard or come to regard a belief as such.
5. (transitive) To know the intent, motives or character of; (of events) to know the causes of or reasons for.
6. (transitive) To believe or infer, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge.
7. (transitive) To regard as present when not.
8. (humorous, rare) To stand underneath, to support.

Intj

Uh-huh, I see; a way to acknowledge something said by the other speaker.

Synonyms

know

comprehend

realize

perceive

grasp

learn

see

👀

hear

apprehend

realise

get

recognize

clear

catch

conceive

interpret

read

📖

appreciate

make out

think

🤔

find out

believe

feel

figure out

consider

savvy

compass

🧭

follow

recognise

fathom

notice

discern

dig

catch on

understanding

digest

translate

know well

sober up

infer

remember

get to know

ascertain

guess

sympathise

decipher

comprehension

become aware of

familiar with

be aware of

Translations

comprendre

verstehen

entender

capire

begreifen

comprender

begrijpen

comprendere

entender

entendre

compreender

verstaan

intendere

erfassen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/(ˌ)ʌndəˈstænd/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: understanden

Inherited from Old English: understandan

Cognate with Old English: under-

Cognate with Old Frisian: understonda

Cognate with Old High German: understantan

Cognate with Danish: understande

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: understunda

Cognate with Dutch: onderstaan

Cognate with German: unterstehen

In summary

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 onderstaan (“to undertake, presume”), German unterstehen (“to be subordinate”).

Sentences

Don’t you understand me ?

He had always believed that the sheep were able to understand what he said .

I still can't understand it though .

I understand sheep ; they're no longer a problem , and they can be good friends .

He came to understand its dodges and tricks , and to accept it as it was .