different between retention vs understanding

English

Etymology

From Middle English retencioun, borrowed from Latin retenti?, retenti?nis, from retentus, the perfect passive participle of retine? (“retain”) (from re- (“back, again”) + tene? (“hold, keep”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???t?n??n/

Noun

retention (countable and uncountable, plural retentions)

1. The act of retaining or something retained
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, II. iv. 95:

     No woman's heart / So big, to hold so much; they lack retention.

2. The act or power of remembering things
3. A memory; what is retained in the mind
4. (medicine) The involuntary withholding of urine and faeces
5. (medicine) The length of time an individual remains in treatment
6. (obsolete) That which contains something, as a tablet; a means of preserving impressions.
   • 1609, William Shakespeare, Sonnet 122,^[1]

     Thy gift, thy tables, are within my brain

     Full character’d with lasting memory,

     […]

     That poor retention could not so much hold,

     Nor need I tallies thy dear love to score;

7. (obsolete) The act of withholding; restraint; reserve.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, V. i. 79:

     His life I gave him, and did thereto add / My love without retention or restraint,

8. (obsolete) A place of custody or confinement.
9. (law) The right to withhold a debt, or of retaining property until a debt due to the person claiming the right is duly paid; a lien.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Erskine to this entry?)

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Craig to this entry?)

Derived terms

• retention tank

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

• enter into, intertone, tontineer

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?nd??stand??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??nd??stænd??/
• Rhymes: -ænd??
• Hyphenation: un?der?stand?ing

Noun

understanding (countable and uncountable, plural understandings) (with of, but with for in sense of "sympathy")

1. (gerund, uncountable) The act of one that understands or comprehends; comprehension; knowledge; discernment.
2. (countable) Reason or intelligence, ability to grasp the full meaning of knowledge, ability to infer.
3. (countable) Opinion, judgement or outlook.

4. (countable) An agreement of minds; harmony; something mutually understood or agreed upon.
   1. An informal contract; mutual agreement.

   2. A reconciliation of differences.

5. (uncountable) Sympathy.

Derived terms

• peace that passeth understanding

Translations

See also

• intellection

Adjective

understanding (comparative more understanding, superlative most understanding)

1. Showing compassion.
2. (dated) Knowing; skilful.

Translations

Verb

understanding

1. present participle of understand