to give the meaning or intention of; explain; interpret.
2.
to deduce by inference or interpretation; infer: He construed her intentions from her gestures.
3.
to translate, esp. orally.
4.
to analyze the syntax of; to rehearse the applicable grammatical rules of: to construe a sentence.
5.
to arrange or combine (words, phrases, etc.) syntactically.
–verb (used without object)
6.
to admit of grammatical analysis or interpretation.
–noun
7.
the act of construing.
8.
something that is construed.
[Origin: 1325–75; ME construen < L construere to put together, build, equiv. to con-con-+ struere to pile up, arrange, perh. akin to sternere to spread, strew; see stratum]
1362, from L.L. construere "to relate grammatically," in classical L. "to pile together;" see construct, which is a later acquisition of the same word.
Con*struct"\ (k[o^]n*str[u^]kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Constructed; p. pr. & vb. n. Constructing.] [L. constructus, p. p. of construere to bring together, to construct; con- + struere to pile up, set in order. See Structure, and cf. Construe.]1. To put together the constituent parts of (something) in their proper place and order; to build; to form; to make; as, to construct an edifice. 2. To devise; to invent; to set in order; to arrange; as, to construct a theory of ethics. Syn: To build; erect; form; compile; make; fabricate; originate; invent.
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