different between constructive vs construe

English

Etymology

From Middle French constructif.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?st??kt?v/

Adjective

constructive (comparative more constructive, superlative most constructive)

1. Relating to or causing construction.
2. Carefully considered and meant to be helpful.
3. (law) Imputed by law; created to give legal effect to something for equitable reasons, as with constructive notice or a constructive trust.
4. Not direct or expressed, but inferred.

Synonyms

• (carefully considered and meant to be helpful): productive

Antonyms

• (relating to or causing construction): destructive
• (carefully considered and meant to be helpful): destructive

Derived terms

Translations

French

Adjective

constructive

1. feminine singular of constructif

English

Alternative forms

• conster (obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin construo, construere (“to relate grammatically”), from Latin construo (“pile together”); doublet of construct.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?st?u?/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /?k?nst??/

Noun

construe (plural construes)

1. A translation.
2. An interpretation.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

construe (third-person singular simple present construes, present participle construing, simple past and past participle construed)

1. (transitive) To interpret or explain the meaning of something.
2. (grammar, transitive) To analyze the grammatical structure of a clause or sentence; to parse.

   • Thus, in a sentence such as:
     (113)      John considers [_S Fred to be too sure of himself]
     the italicised Reflexive himself can only be construed with Fred, not with John: this follows from our assumption that non-subject Reflexives must have an antecedent within their own S. Notice, however, that in a sentence such as:
     (114)      John seems to me [_S — to have perjured himself]
     himself must be construed with John.

3. (grammar, ergative) To admit of grammatical analysis.
4. (transitive) To translate.
5. To infer.

Derived terms

• construction
• misconstrue

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Counters, Cutrones, cornutes, counters, countres, recounts, trounces

Latin

Verb

c?nstrue

1. second-person singular present active imperative of c?nstru?