understand

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English Vietnamese dictionary

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Advanced English dictionary

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(not used in the progressive tenses)
meaning
1 to know or realize the meaning of words, a language, what sb says, etc: [VN] Can you understand French? + Do you understand the instructions? + She didn't understand the form she was signing. + [V] I'm not sure that I understand. Go over it again. + (figurative) I don't want you doing that again. Do you understand? + [V wh-] I don't understand what he's saying.
how sth works / happens
2 to know or realize how or why sth happens, how it works or why it is important: [VN] Doctors still don't understand much about the disease. + No one is answering the phone-I can't understand it. + [V wh-] I could never understand why she was fired. + They're too young to understand what is happening. + [VN -ing] I just can't understand him taking the money. + (formal) I just can't understand his taking the money. [also V that, V]
know sb
3 to know sb's character, how they feel and why they behave in the way they do: [VN] Nobody understands me. + He doesn't understand women at all. + We understand each other, even if we don't always agree. + [V wh-] They understand what I have been through. + I understand how hard things have been for you. + [V that] I quite understand that you need some time alone. + [VN -ing] I quite understand you needing some time alone. + [V] If you want to leave early, I'm sure he'll understand.
think / believe
4 (formal) to think or believe that sth is true because you have been told that it is: [V (that)] I understand (that) you wish to see the manager. + Am I to understand that you refuse? + [VN to inf] The Prime Minister is understood to have been extremely angry about the report. + [VN that] It is understood that the band are working on their next album.
be agreed
5 [VN (that)] [usually passive] to agree sth with sb without it needing to be said: I thought it was understood that my expenses would be paid.
missing word
6 [VN] [usually passive] to realize that a word in a phrase or sentence is not expressed and to supply it in your mind: In the sentence 'I can't drive', the object 'a car' is understood.
Idioms: make yourself understood to make your meaning clear, especially in another language: He doesn't speak much Japanese but he can make himself understood.
more at GIVE v.

Thesaurus dictionary

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v.

1 grasp, comprehend, see, perceive, discern, make out, get the drift or the hang of, appreciate, interpret, take cognizance of, recognize, be aware or conscious of, be conversant with, know, realize, conceive of, be aware (of), apprehend, penetrate, Colloq get (it), dig, catch on (to), tumble to, cotton on (to), Brit twig:

I can understand what you are saying. I didn't think you understood.

2 accept, agree, arrange, covenant, take:

I understand the terms of the agreement.

3 interpret, take, read, gather from, construe, surmise from, assume from, infer from, view, see:

As I understand the regulation, only residents may use the facilities.

4 hear (of), gather, get wind (of), take it, be told or informed or advised, have found out or learnt, Colloq hear tell:

I understand that you've applied for another job.

5 sympathize or empathize (with), be in sympathy (with), show compassion (for), commiserate (with); accept, tolerate, allow, forgive:

Surely your employer will understand your being late because of the funeral.

Collocation dictionary

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ADV.

clearly, well | fully, perfectly, quite

I fully understand the reason for your decision.

| not really

Her behaviour wounded him in a way he did not really understand.

| adequately | correctly, properly

She realized that she had never properly understood him.

| easily, readily

The reasons for this decision are not easily understood.

| instinctively, intuitively

She intuitively understood his need to be alone.

VERB + UNDERSTAND

be able/unable to, can/could

I can't understand what all the fuss is about.

| try to | begin to | be easy to | be difficult to, be hard to

It is difficult to understand why he reacted in that way.

| help (to), help sb (to)

PREP.

about

We understand little about this disease.

PHRASES

be commonly/generally/popularly understood

What is generally understood by ‘democracy’?

| be imperfectly/incompletely/poorly understood

The effects of these chemicals on the body are still poorly understood.

| be universally/widely understood

Concise English dictionary

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understood|understands|understanding‚ʌndə(r)'stænd
verb
+know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
+perceive (an idea or situation) mentally
+make sense of a language
+believe to be the case
+be understanding of