transitive verb understood -·stood′, understanding -·stand′·ing

1. to get or perceive the meaning of; know or grasp what is meant by; comprehend to understand a question
2. to gather or assume from what is heard, known, etc.; infer are we to understand that you want to go?
3. to take as meant or meaning; interpret to understand his silence as refusal
4. to take for granted or as a fact it is understood that no one is to leave
5. to supply mentally (an idea, word, etc.), as for grammatical completeness
6. to get as information; learn
7. to know thoroughly; grasp or perceive clearly and fully the nature, character, functioning, etc. of
8. to have a sympathetic rapport with no one understands me

Etymology: ME understanden < OE understandan, lit., to stand among, hence observe, understand

intransitive verb

1. to have understanding, comprehension, sympathetic awareness, etc., either in general or with reference to something specific
2. to be informed; believe he is, I understand, no longer here