UNDERSTAND

verb (understood; -standing) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ~an, from under + standan to stand Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. to grasp the meaning of , to grasp the reasonableness of , to have thorough or technical acquaintance with or expertness in the practice of , to be thoroughly familiar with the character and propensities of , to accept as a fact or truth or regard as plausible without utter certainty , to interpret in one of a number of possible ways, to supply in thought as though expressed , intransitive verb to have ~ing ; have the power of comprehension, to achieve a grasp of the nature, significance, or explanation of something, to believe or infer something to be the case, to show a sympathetic or tolerant attitude toward something, ~ability noun ~able adjective Synonyms: see: ~