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Construe

//kənˈstɹuː// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A translation.

    "Prayers and calling-over seemed twice as short as usual, and before they could get construes of a tithe of the hard passages marked in the margin of their books, they were all seated round, and the Doctor was standing in the middle, talking in whispers to the master."

  2. 2
    An interpretation.
Verb
  1. 1
    To understand (something) as meaning, to take to mean. transitive

    "Bru[tus]. […] But let not therefore my good Friends be greeu'd (Among which number Cassius be you one) Nor conſtrue any further my neglect, Then that poore Brutus with himſelfe at warre, Forgets the ſhews of Loue to other men."

  2. 2
    make sense of; assign a meaning to wordnet
  3. 3
    To interpret (something) to another or publicly, explain the meaning of (something, usually language). transitive

    "This is a new fashionable proverb, which I must construe to you."

  4. 4
    To analyze the grammatical structure of a clause or sentence; to parse. transitive

    "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."

  5. 5
    To admit of grammatical analysis. ergative
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    To translate. transitive
  2. 7
    To infer.
  3. 8
    To explain. obsolete

    "Bru[tus]. […] Portia go in a while, And by and by thy boſome ſhall partake The ſecrets of my Heart. All my engagements, I will construe to thee, All the Charractery of my ſad browes."

Etymology

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

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

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