Nearby Words

Understood

[uhn-der-stood] Origin

un·der·stood

[uhn-der-stood]
verb
1.
simple past tense and past participle of understand.
adjective
2.
agreed upon; known in advance; assented to: It is the understood policy of this establishment to limit credit.
3.
implied but not stated; left unexpressed: The understood meaning of a danger sign is “Do not approach.”

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Understood is one of our favorite verbs.
So is yaff. Does it mean:
to bark; yelp.
chat, to converse
half-un·der·stood, adjective
non·un·der·stood, adjective
self-un·der·stood, adjective
well-un·der·stood, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged

un·der·stand

[uhn-der-stand] verb, -stood, -stand·ing.
verb (used with object)
1.
to perceive the meaning of; grasp the idea of; comprehend: to understand Spanish; I didn't understand your question.
2.
to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of: to understand a trade.
3.
to assign a meaning to; interpret: He understood her suggestion as a complaint.
4.
to grasp the significance, implications, or importance of: He does not understand responsibility.
5.
to regard as firmly communicated; take as agreed or settled: I understand that you will repay this loan in 30 days.
EXPAND
6.
to learn or hear: I understand that you are going out of town.
7.
to accept as true; believe: I understand that you are trying to be truthful, but you are wrong.
8.
to construe in a particular way: You are to understand the phrase literally.
9.
to supply mentally (something that is not expressed).
COLLAPSE
verb (used without object)
10.
to perceive what is meant; grasp the information conveyed: She told them about it in simple words, hoping they would understand.
11.
to accept tolerantly or sympathetically: If you can't do it, I'll understand.
12.
to have knowledge or background, as on a particular subject: He understands about boats.
13.
to have a systematic interpretation or rationale, as in a field or area of knowledge: He can repeat every rule in the book, but he just doesn't understand.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English understanden, understonden, Old English understondan; cognate with Dutch onderstaan. See under-, stand

pre·un·der·stand, verb, -stood, -stand·ing.


1. See know1.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To Understood
Collins
World English Dictionary
understood (ˌʌndəˈstʊd)
 
vb
1.  the past tense and past participle of understand
 
adj
2.  implied or inferred
3.  taken for granted; assumed

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

understand
O.E. understandan "comprehend, grasp the idea of," probably lit. "stand in the midst of," from under + standan "to stand" (see stand). If this is the meaning, the under is not the usual word meaning "beneath," but from O.E. under, from PIE *nter- "between, among" (cf. Skt.
EXPAND
antar "among, between," L. inter "between, among," Gk. entera "intestines;" see inter-). But the exact notion is unclear. Perhaps the ult. sense is "be close to," cf. Gk. epistamai "I know how, I know," lit. "I stand upon." Similar formations are found in O.Fris. (understonda), M.Dan. (understande), while other Gmc. languages use compounds meaning "stand before" (cf. Ger. verstehen, represented in O.E. by forstanden ). For this concept, most I.E. languages use fig. extensions of compounds that lit. mean "put together," or "separate," or "take, grasp."
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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