v. & n.
--v. (past and past part. read)
1. tr. (also absol.) reproduce mentally or (often foll. by aloud, out, off, etc.) vocally the written or printed words of (a book, author, etc.) by following the symbols with the eyes or fingers.
2 tr. convert or be able to convert into the intended words or meaning (written or other symbols or the things expressed in this way).
3 tr. interpret mentally.
4 tr. deduce or declare an (esp. accurate) interpretation of (read the expression on my face).
5 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) find (a thing) recorded or stated in print etc. (I read somewhere that you are leaving).
6 tr. interpret (a statement or action) in a certain sense (my silence is not to be read as consent).
7 tr. (often foll. by into) assume as intended or deducible from a writer's words; find (implications) (you read too much into my letter).
8 tr. bring into a specified state by reading (read myself to sleep).
9 tr. (of a meter or other recording instrument) show (a specified figure etc.) (the thermometer reads 20°).
10 intr. convey meaning in a specified manner when read (it reads persuasively).
11 intr. sound or affect a hearer or reader as specified when read (the book reads like a parody).
12 a tr. study by reading (esp. a subject at university). b intr. carry out a course of study by reading (is reading for the Bar).
13 tr. (as read adj.) versed in a subject (esp. literature) by reading (a well-read person; was widely read in law).
14 tr. a (of a computer) copy or transfer (data). b (foll. by in, out) enter or extract (data) in an electronic storage device.
15 tr. a understand or interpret (a person) by hearing words or seeing signs, gestures, etc. b interpret (cards, a person's hand, etc.) as a fortune-teller. c interpret (the sky) as an astrologer or meteorologist.
16 tr. Printing check the correctness of and emend (a proof).
17 tr. (of an editor or text) give as the word or words probably used or intended by an author.
--n.
1. a spell of reading.
2 colloq. a book etc. as regards its readability (is a really good read).
Phrases and idioms:
read between the lines look for or find hidden meaning (in a document etc.). read-in the entry of data in an electronic storage device. read a person like a book understand a person's motives etc. read-only memory Computing a memory read at high speed but not capable of being changed by program instructions. read out 1 read aloud.
2 US expel from a political party etc. read-out information retrieved from a computer. read up make a special study of (a subject). read-write Computing capable of reading existing data and accepting alterations or further input (cf. read-only memory).
Etymology: OE r{aelig}dan advise, consider, discern f. Gmc