Understand vs. Overstand: What's the Difference?
Table of Contents
Understand
Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object.
Understanding is a relation between the knower and an object of understanding. Understanding implies abilities and dispositions with respect to an object of knowledge that are sufficient to support intelligent behaviour.Understanding is often, though not always, related to learning concepts, and sometimes also the theory or theories associated with those concepts. However, a person may have a good ability to predict the behaviour of an object, animal or system—and therefore may, in some sense, understand it—without necessarily being familiar with the concepts or theories associated with that object, animal or system in their culture. They may have developed their own distinct concepts and theories, which may be equivalent, better or worse than the recognised standard concepts and theories of their culture. Thus, understanding is correlated with the ability to make inferences.
Understand (verb)
To be aware of the meaning of.
“I understand German.”
“I received your note, but I did not understand it.”
Understand (verb)
To believe, based on information.
“I understand that you have information for me.”
Understand (verb)
To impute meaning, character etc. that is not explicitly stated.
“But we cannot disappoint Grandma and Grandpa Smith, and that is what family is all about! Do you understand?!”
“In this sense, the word is usually used in the past participle:”
Understand (verb)
To stand under; to support.
Understand (verb)
One who supports others in such performances as the human pyramid.
Overstand (verb)
to stand or insist too much or too long; overstay
Overstand (verb)
to stand too strictly on the demands or conditions of.
Overstand (verb)
to sail to the mark at a wider angle than is the normal upwind angle, to go beyond the layline
Overstand (verb)
To be neglected and left uncut for too long.
Overstand (verb)
to have complete or intuitive comprehension of; to understand fully
Overstand (noun)
The measurement between the top plate and the fingerboard where the neck meets the body of the instrument.
Understand (verb)
perceive the intended meaning of (words, a language, or a speaker)
“he didn’t understand a word I said”
“she understood what he was saying”
“he could usually make himself understood”
Understand (verb)
perceive the significance, explanation, or cause of
“she didn’t really understand the situation”
“he couldn’t understand why we burst out laughing”
Understand (verb)
interpret or view (something) in a particular way
“as the term is usually understood, legislation refers to regulations and directives”
Understand (verb)
infer something from information received (often used as a polite formula in conversation)
“I understand you’re at art school”
“as I understood it, she was flying back to the States tomorrow”
Understand (verb)
regard (a missing word, phrase, or idea) as present
“‘present company excepted’ is always understood when sweeping generalizations are being made”
Understand (verb)
assume to be the case; take for granted
“he liked to play the field, that was understood”
Understand (verb)
be sympathetically or knowledgeably aware of the character or nature of
“I understand how you feel”
“Picasso understood colour”
Overstand (verb)
To stand over (formerly especially so as to guard or intimidate); to stand higher than or above.
Overstand (verb)
Oxford Univ.”to be overstanding for honours”: to be ineligible for honours in an examination because more than the permitted number of terms (normally twelve) has elapsed since one’s matriculation.
Overstand (verb)
Sailing. To sail past (a line or mark indicating the course of a race) by staying on a tack for too long.
Overstand (verb)
And without object. To understand. Now used (especially in Caribbean and African-American usage) to avoid the negative connotations of under, perceived as incompatible with the positive meaning of the verb.
Overstand (verb)
And without object. Contrasted with understand in other ways, as: to understand more than is necessary or desirable; to analyse excessively; to understand fully.
ncG1vNJzZmilkZ67pbXFn5yrnZ6Ysm%2B6xK1mrqaUmr%2B0wMCnm2auo2K8t7HRrKuappRk