understanding

/ˌən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ/

noun

  1. a mental grasp : comprehension

  2. the power of comprehending; especially : the capacity to apprehend general relations of particulars

  3. the power to make experience intelligible by applying concepts and categories

adjective

  1. endowed with understanding : tolerant, sympathetic

  2. knowing, intelligent

an understanding supervisor

verb

  1. to grasp the meaning of

  2. to grasp the reasonableness of

  3. to have thorough or technical acquaintance with or expertness in the practice of

understand Russian

his behavior is hard to understand

understand comprehend appreciate mean to have a clear or complete idea of. understand and comprehend are very often interchangeable. understand may, however, stress the fact of having attained a firm mental grasp of something. comprehend may stress the process of coming to grips with something intellectually.