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The Collaborative International Dictionary
To give one to understand

Understand \Un`der*stand"\ ([u^]n`d[~e]r*st[a^]nd"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Understood (([u^]n`d[~e]r*st[oo^]d"),), 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.

    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.