different between understand vs beknow
understand
English
Alternative forms
- understaund (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan (“to understand”), from Proto-Germanic *under (“between”) + *standan? (“to stand”), equivalent to Old English under- (“between, inter-”) + standan (“to stand”). Cognate with Old Frisian understonda (“to understand, experience, learn”), Old High German understantan (“to understand”), Middle Danish understande (“to understand”). Compare also Saterland Frisian understunda, unnerstounde (“to dare, survey, measure”), Dutch onderstaan (“to undertake, presume”), German unterstehen (“to be subordinate”). More at inter-, stand.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ?n(?)d?r-st?nd', IPA(key): /(?)?nd??stænd/,
- (General American) enPR: ?n?d?r-st?nd', IPA(key): /??nd??stænd/, [??????stænd], [??????ste??nd]
- (Ireland) IPA(key): /??nd???stand/
- Rhymes: -ænd
- Hyphenation: un?der?stand
Verb
understand (third-person singular simple present understands, present participle understanding, simple past and past participle understood)
- (transitive) To grasp a concept fully and thoroughly, especially (of words, statements, art, etc.) to be aware of the meaning of and (of people) to be aware of the intent of.
- 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 20:
- ‘I came back here, had a wank and finished that book.’
‘The Naked Lunch?’
‘Yeah.’
‘What did you reckon?’
‘Crap.’
‘You're just saying that because you didn't understand it,’ said Adrian.
‘I'm just saying that because I did understand it,’ said Tom. ‘Any road up, we'd better start making some toast.’
- ‘I came back here, had a wank and finished that book.’
- 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 20:
- To believe, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge.
- (humorous, rare, obsolete outside circus, acrobatics) To stand underneath, to support.
Usage notes
- In its sense of "imputing meaning", use is usually limited to the past participle understood.
- The obsolete perfect form understanded is occasionally found, e.g. in the Book of Common Prayer and the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church.
Synonyms
- (to fully grasp a concept): apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, perceive, pick up what someone is putting down, realise, grok
- (to believe one grasps a concept): believe
Antonyms
- misunderstand
Derived terms
Translations
See also
- explain
- why
Further reading
- understand in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- understand in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Anagrams
- unstranded
understand From the web:
- what understanding means
- what understands body's biological time
- what understanding and acceptance mean to me
- what understanding does winston gain
- what understanding have archaeologists gained
- what understanding culture society and politics
- what understandings of religion and state exist
- what understand about paraphernalia
beknow
English
Etymology
From Middle English beknowen, biknowen, from Old English becn?wan (“to know, know about”), equivalent to be- +? know. Cognate with Old High German bichn?an (“to recognise, see”).
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -??
Verb
beknow (third-person singular simple present beknows, present participle beknowing, simple past beknew, past participle beknown)
- (transitive) To know about; have knowledge of; recognise; understand; be aware (of); be knowledgeable about.
- 1856, Homer, Francis William Newman, The Illiad of Homer:
- At length Alkimedon, his friend and comrade, right beknew it; [...]
- 1888, The Argosy: Volume 46:
- [...] when I went bolt into his dressing-room, not beknowing he was in it — why it is not likely, sir, that he comes again.
- 1856, Homer, Francis William Newman, The Illiad of Homer:
- (transitive) To acknowledge; own; confess.
- 1831, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas, The poetical works of Sir Thomas Wyatt:
- For unto Thee no number can be laid For to prescribe remissions of offence In hearts returned, as thou thyself hast said; And I beknow my fault, my negligence: [...]
- 1831, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas, The poetical works of Sir Thomas Wyatt:
Derived terms
- beknowing
- beknown
beknow From the web:
- what is beknown meaning
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