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construe

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The definition of construe is to explain or give the meaning of or to analyze or figure out.

(verb)

An example of construe is to put together a tale to explain missing money.
An example of construe is to look at evidence to figure out who took the money.

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See construe in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb construed, construing

to analyze (a sentence, clause, etc.) so as to show its syntactic construction and its meaning
loosely to translate (a passage) orally
to explain or deduce the meaning of; interpret: her silence was construed as agreement
to infer or deduce
Gram. to combine in syntax: the verb “let,” unlike “permit,” is construed with an infinitive omitting the “to”

Origin: ME construen < L construere: see construct

intransitive verb

to analyze sentence structure, esp. in translating
to be able to be construed, as a sentence

See construe in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb con·strued, con·stru·ing, con·strues

verb, transitive

To adduce or explain the meaning of; interpret: construed my smile as assent. See Synonyms at explain.
Grammar
a. To analyze the structure of (a clause or sentence).
b. To use syntactically: The noun fish can be construed as singular or plural.
To translate, especially aloud.

verb, intransitive

To analyze grammatical structure.
To be subject to grammatical analysis.

noun (kŏnˈstro͞oˌ)

An interpretation or translation.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English construen

Origin: , from Late Latin cōnstruere

Origin: , from Latin, to build; see construct

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Related Forms:

con·struˈal noun

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