Un`der*stand" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Understood (?), and Archaic Understanded; p. pr. & vb. n. Understanding.] [OE. understanden, AS. understandan, literally, to stand under; cf. AS. forstandan to understand, G. verstehen. The development of sense is not clear. See Under, and Stand.]
1.
To have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning or intention of; to have knowledge of; to comprehend; to know; as, to understand a problem in Euclid; to understand a proposition or a declaration; the court understands the advocate or his argument; to understand the sacred oracles; to understand a nod or a wink.
<-- in ety, sic: "development of sense"?? perh. s.b. "development of this sense"?? -->
Speaketh [i. e., speak thou] so plain at this time, I you pray,
That we may understande what ye say.
Chaucer.
I understand not what you mean by this.
Shak.
Understood not all was but a show.
Milton.
A tongue not understanded of the people.
Bk. of Com. Prayer.
2.
To be apprised, or have information, of; to learn; to be informed of; to hear; as, I understand that Congress has passed the bill.
3.
To recognize or hold as being or signifying; to suppose to mean; to interpret; to explain.
The most learned interpreters understood the words of sin, and not of Abel.
Locke.
4.
To mean without expressing; to imply tacitly; to take for granted; to assume.
War, then, war,
Open or understood, must be resolved.
Milton.
5.
To stand under; to support.
[Jocose & R.]
Shak.
To give one to understand, to cause one to know. -- To make one's self understood, to make one's meaning clear.
© Webster 1913.
Un`der*stand", v. i.
1.
To have the use of the intellectual faculties; to be an intelligent being.
Imparadised in you, in whom alone
I understand, and grow, and see.
Donne.
2.
To be informed; to have or receive knowledge.
I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah.
Neh. xiii. 7.
© Webster 1913.