understand

verb (KNOW)

/ˌʌn.dəˈstænd/

/-dɚ-/ (understood, understood)

Definition

A1 [I or T] to know the meaning of something that someone says: She explained the whole idea again, but I still didn't understand. Is there anyone here who understands Arabic? I think he was phoning from a pub - it was so noisy I couldn't understand (= recognize) a word he said.Understanding and comprehending A2 [I or T] to know why or how something happens or works: [+ question word] We still don't fully understand how the brain works.Understanding and comprehending B1 [I or T] to know how someone feels or why they behave in a particular way: My wife doesn't understand me. Sometimes I don't understand James. [+ question word] You don't understand what it's like/how it feels to have to beg on the streets.Sympathy and compassionEmpathy and sensitivitySympathy and compassion understand sb to mean sth › to think, especially wrongly, that someone means a particular thing: When he said three o'clock, I understood him to mean in the afternoon.Understanding and comprehending understand one another/each other › When two people understand one another, they both know what the other means and wants and they have an agreement: Both sides must try to understand one another, to recognize each other's rights and beliefs.Understanding and comprehending

(Definition of understand verb (KNOW) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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