View synonyms for construe

construe

[ verb kuhn-stroo; noun kon-stroo ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

, con·strued, con·stru·ing.

to give the meaning or intention of; explain; interpret.
to deduce by inference or interpretation; infer:
He construed her intentions from her gestures.
to translate, especially orally.
to analyze the syntax of; to rehearse the applicable grammatical rules of:
to construe a sentence.
to arrange or combine (words, phrases, etc.) syntactically.

verb (used without object)

, con·strued, con·stru·ing.

to admit of grammatical analysis or interpretation.

noun

the act of construing.
something that is construed.

construe

/ kənˈstruː /

verb

to interpret the meaning of (something)
you can construe that in different ways
may take a clause as object to discover by inference; deduce
to analyse the grammatical structure of; parse (esp a Latin or Greek text as a preliminary to translation)
to combine (words) syntactically
old-fashioned.
also intr to translate literally, esp aloud as an academic exercise

noun

old-fashioned.
something that is construed, such as a piece of translation

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Derived Forms

conˈstruer, noun
conˈstruable, adjective
conˌstruaˈbility, noun

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Other Words From

con·stru·er noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of construe¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English construen, from Latin construere “to put together, build,” equivalent to con- con- + struere “to pile up, arrange,” perhaps akin to sternere “to spread, scatter”; strew, stratum

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Word History and Origins

Origin of construe¹

C14: from Latin construere to pile up; see construct

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Example Sentences

At one of his rallies, Kivalov reportedly gave out packages with food items and money, which investigators construe to be bribes.

From The Daily Beast

Can any of your readers tell me whence comes the following Sotadic Elegiac poem, and construe it for me?

From Project Gutenberg

I would not appear to dictate, but do you not fear Mr. Purcell may construe your non-attendance into disrespect to himself?

From Project Gutenberg

Read over the Ovid to Jefferson, and construe about ten lines more.

From Project Gutenberg

After dinner construe Ovid (100 lines); finish second book of Spenser, and read two cantos of the third.

From Project Gutenberg

Some refer to Minerva, and construe the passage with reference to the Panathenaic celebration.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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construct state construed

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