understand (v.) Look up understand at DictionaryOld English understandan comprehend, grasp the idea of, probably literally stand in the midst of, from under + standan to stand (see stand (v.)). If this is the meaning, the under is not the usual word meaning beneath, but from Old English under, from PIE *nter- between, among (cognates: Sanskrit antar among, between, Latin inter between, among, Greek entera intestines; see inter-). Related: Understood; understanding That is the suggestion in Barnhart, but other sources regard the among, between, before, in the presence of sense of Old English prefix and preposition under as other meanings of the same word. Among seems to be the sense in many Old English compounds that resemble understand, such as underniman to receive, undersecan examine, investigate, scrutinize (literally underseek), underðencan consider, change ones mind, underginnan to begin. It also seems to be the sense still in expressions such as under such circumstances. Perhaps the ultimate sense is be close to; compare Greek epistamai I know how, I know, literally I stand upon. Similar formations are found in Old Frisian (understonda), Middle Danish (understande), while other Germanic languages use compounds meaning stand before (German verstehen, represented in Old English by forstanden). For this concept, most Indo-European languages use figurative extensions of compounds that literally mean put together, or separate, or take, grasp (see comprehend). Old English oferstandan, Middle English overstonden, literally over-stand seem to have been used only in literal senses. For to stand under in a physical sense, Old English had undergestandan.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 03:19:53 +0000
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