[con.strue] vb con.strued ; con.stru.ing [ME, fr. LL construere, fr. L, to construct] vt (14c) 1: to analyze the arrangement and connection of words in (a sentence or sentence part)
2: to understand or explain the sense or intention of usu. in a particular way or with respect to a given set of circumstances "construed my actions as hostile" ~ vi: to construe a sentence or sentence part esp. in connection with translating -- con.stru.able adj
[2]con.strue n (1844): an act or the result of construing esp. by piecemeal translation