con ‧ strue /kənˈstruː/ BrE AmE verb [transitive usually in passive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: construere , from Latin , 'to construct' , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + struere 'to build' ]
to understand a remark or action in a particular way ⇨ misconstrue
construe something as something
comments that could be construed as sexist
The term can be construed in two different ways.