Etimology
From Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan (“to understand”), from Proto-West Germanic *understandan (“to stand between, understand”), from Proto-Germanic *understandaną (“to stand between, understand”), equivalent to Old English under- (“between, inter-”) + standan (“to stand”) (Modern English under- + stand). Cognate with Old Frisian understonda (“to understand, experience, learn”), Old High German understantan (“to understand”), Middle Danish understande (“to understand”). Compare also Saterland Frisian understunda, unnerstounde (“to dare, survey, measure”), Dutch onderstaan (“to undertake, presume”), German unterstehen (“to be subordinate”).
verb
understand (third-person singular simple present understands, present participle understanding, simple past and past participle understood)
(transitive) (of communication or means of communication: words, statements, signs, etc.) To know the meaning of; to parse or have parsed correctly; to comprehend.
(transitive) (of a skill, task, profession, etc.) To be thoroughly familiar with; to be able to undertake properly.
(transitive, usually with clause as object) To comprehend a fact or principle; to regard or come to regard a belief as such.
(transitive) (of people) To know the intent, motives or character of; (of events) to know the causes of or reasons for.
(transitive) To believe, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge.
(transitive, grammar) To regard as present when not.
(humorous, rare, obsolete outside circus, acrobatics) To stand underneath, to support.
(intransitive) To comprehend or grasp (some particular matter); to have comprehension (in general);
Examples
Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
In reading this book, be very certain you never go past a word you do not fully understand.
Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths.
Can you repeat what you just said? I didn't understand.
‘I came back here, had a wank and finished that book.’‘The Naked Lunch?’‘Yeah.’‘What did you reckon?’‘Crap.’‘You're just saying that because you didn't understand it,’ said Adrian.‘I'm just saying that because I did understand it,’ said Tom. ‘Any road up, we'd better start making some toast.’
The students understood the assignment.
I understand that company policy says I can't get a refund, but can you make an exception?
There's been no formal declaration, but it's understood that a state of war exists between the two countries
One day you say you love me, the next you ignore me—I don't understand you!
I understand that you have a package for me?
In the imperative mood, the word “you” is usually understood.
‘I understand that the district was considered a sort of sanctuary,’ the Chief was saying.
LAUNE: Ay, and what I do too: look thee, I'll but lean, and my staff understands me.SPEED: It stands under thee, indeed.LAUNCE:Why, stand-under and under-stand is all one.
Related words
synonyms
(to fully grasp a concept): apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, perceive, pick up what someone is putting down, realise, grok
(to believe one grasps a concept): believe
antonyms
misunderstand