(a) To exercise the intellectual power; also, have the ability to understand; ppl. understondinge, intelligent; (b) to achieve comprehension; have a full comprehension (concerning God, a process); also, discriminate (between things), distinguish [quot. a1425(c1384)]; (c) to make sense of (sth.); also, comprehend (sth.); (d) to reach a logical conclusion (that sth. is so), infer;—also without that; (e) to grasp intellectually (that sth. is so, what sth. is, etc.); also, understand (sth. to be distinct from sth. else) [quot. ?a1425, 2nd]; (f) ppl. understondinge as adj.: intelligible.

(a) To acquire knowledge, learn; also, learn (of sth.); who understode, if the facts were known; (b) to discover (sth.), find out about, ascertain;—often with that clause or indirect question as obj.; (c) to derive as a lesson (sth., that sth. is so); (d) to come to a realization; realize (that sth. is so); also, know for a fact (that sth. is so, where sb. is, etc.); (e) to take cognizance of (sth.); be aware of (sth.), perceive;—also with clause as obj.; (f) to have an appreciation (of a condition) [quot. ?a1475]; recognize the value of (sth.), appreciate; (g) don (maken) ~, to teach (sb.); give information to (sb.); tell (sb. sth., that sth. is so, how sth. is, etc.);—used without pers. pron. [quot. c1230]; also, convince (sb. to do sth.) [quot. ?a1400].

(a) To recognize the true or deeper meaning of words; achieve a deeper understanding of the truth; (b) to have an enlightened knowledge of (oneself, God, Scripture, God’s law, etc.); also, penetrate to the truth of (a matter) [quot. c1390]; (c) to grasp the purport or implications of (an agreement, a message, etc.);—also with clause as obj.; also without obj.; (d) to apprehend (the gist, main point, etc. of sth.);—also with clause as obj.; (e) to grasp the point being communicated by (sb.); (f) ppl. understondinge, wise, understanding; also, spiritually enlightened.

(a) To make an interpretation; ben to ~, be interpreted (in a specified way); (b) to interpret (a word, law, authority, etc.); construe (sth.) as (sth. else); also, take (sth. for another); ben understonden, be interpreted or taken as (sb. or sth.);—also with clause as obj.; (c) to take (sb. or sth.) to be symbolized (by another); also, account for the symbolic significance of (a mythological figure) [quot. c1440, 2nd]; (d) to signify (sth.);—sometimes with that clause; also, represent (sth.), stand for; ben don to ~ thurgh, be symbolized by (sth.); (e) to intend to convey (sth.), mean; also, intend (sth.) to mean (sth. else); ~ of, speak of (sth.); ben understonden, be referenced; ben understonden of, refer to (sb.); ppl. understonden, not expressed explicitly, implied; understonden of, referring or applying to (sb.); (f) that (this) is (for) to ~, that beth to ~, that is to say, that means; for) to ~, that is, to wit;—often used as a tag with weakened semantic content.

(a) To possess empirical knowledge; have experience (in a terrain); have mastery (of warfare); ppl. understondinge, knowledgeable; (b) to know (sth. about a contrivance); have mastery of (a branch of knowledge, rules of grammar, etc.); ben wel understonden, be learned or proficient (in a branch of knowledge); (c) to know how to do something;—used in clause with as muche as construction; also, know how (to do sth.).

To know the vocabulary, symbols, etc. used in (a language, someone’s speech, a foreign word, sounds of birds, etc.); understand the speech of (sb.); make out (what sb. says or a fowl utters); also, be able to expand (symbols and abbreviations).

(a) To reflect, muse; be thoughtful; also, refl. bethink oneself, ponder; think about (sth.);—also with clause as obj.; (b) to remember something [quot. a1400(a1325)]; keep (sth.) in mind, remember;—sometimes with clause as obj.; also refl.; ~ of, recall (sth.); ben understonden, be reminded about something, remember, recall.

(a) To grant (sth.) as a fact, rule, or principle, take as given;—used in impers. constructions with anticipatory hit and clause or inf. as obj.; (b) to make an assumption [quot. a1400 Nicod.(2), 2nd occurrence]; assume (sth.), suppose;—usu. with that clause as obj.; (c) to opine (that sth. is so), judge, reckon;—sometimes without that; also, consider (sb. worthy); also, believe oneself (to be wise) [quot. a1500]; also, believe (sth.); (d) in parenthetical clauses with somewhat diminished semantic force: as he understode, as he thought; as hit is understonden, as it is commonly assumed; as ich (me) understond, ich understond, as I suppose; as I believe; as) I think; as (fer as) ich can ~, as (far as) I can tell, to the best of my belief; as that ich understond, as I understand it; maistou ~, ye mai ~, you may assume.

To be suspicious (of sth.); have a vague idea (of sth.);—also refl.; identify (sb. or sth.), recognize; also, be suspicious of (sb.), suspect [quot. 1459].

To imagine (sth.), conceive of;—usu. with clause as obj.; also, know (sth.) intuitively; ppl. understonden, imaginary.

Theol. Of God: to exercise pure reason; turn pure reason on (Himself); of God the Father: engender (the Son) through the process of pure intellection [see Augustine, De Trin.IX.iii, e.g.].

In phrase: ben understonden, to be included, comprehended, or subsumed.

(a) To pay attention; take note;—also refl.; attend (to sb. or sth.); ppl. understondinge, attentive; (b) to pay attention to (sb. or sth.), heed; also, take note of (sth.); (c) to minister (to the poor); bestow attention (on sb. or the poor);—also refl. [quot. a1450]; take care (of one’s soul) [1st quot. vr.]; also, support (sb.) [quot. a1400]; care for (one’s soul) [1st quot.]; (d) to make an observation [quot. a1382]; notice (sth.), observe;—also with clause as obj.; (e) to hear;—used in as clause; perceive (sth.) with the senses; specif., hear (sb. or sth.); also fig.

To plan (that sth. should happen), intend;—also without that; intend (sth. to be done, to do sth.);—also refl.

To strive for or attempt (sth.);—also with that clause as obj.; undertake (to do sth.), seek.

(a) To receive (tithing, a sacrament, counsel, etc.); accept (a gift, advice); also, bring (torment on oneself) [3rd quot., 2nd occurrence]; also, become a receptacle (for sth.) [last quot.]; (b) to take (sb.) under one’s care or charge; accept (sb.) in marriage, take as a spouse [1st quot.]; of Christ: receive (Mary’s soul) at the Assumption; (c) to welcome (sb.), greet; (d) to assume (a certain nature); ~ mennish, of Christ: be incarnated.

To conceive (a child).

(a) To occupy a space at a lower level; (b) to support (someone’s body) from beneath; (c) fig. to submit (to the service of sin); also, serve (God), obey.

In misc. senses: (a) ?to await (the Last Judgment); ?error through misreading of F attendent as entendent; (b) ?to sense (sth.), make contact with.