construe
Americanverb (used with object)
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to deduce by inference or interpretation; infer.
He construed her intentions from her gestures.
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to translate, especially orally.
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to analyze the syntax of; to rehearse the applicable grammatical rules of.
to construe a sentence.
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to arrange or combine (words, phrases, etc.) syntactically.
verb (used without object)
noun
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the act of construing.
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something that is construed.
verb
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to interpret the meaning of (something)
you can construe that in different ways
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(may take a clause as object) to discover by inference; deduce
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to analyse the grammatical structure of; parse (esp a Latin or Greek text as a preliminary to translation)
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to combine (words) syntactically
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old-fashioned (also intr) to translate literally, esp aloud as an academic exercise
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have construedperfect
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has construedperfect 3rd person singular
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are construingprogressive
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has been construingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am construingprogressive 1st person singular
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construingparticiple
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construessingular 3rd person
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is construingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been construingperfect progressive
Past
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had construedperfect
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were construingprogressive plural
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had been construingperfect progressive
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was construingprogressive singular
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construedparticiple
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construedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of construe
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English construen, from Latin construere “to put together, build,” equivalent to con- con- + struere “to pile up, arrange,” perhaps akin to sternere “to spread, scatter”; see strew, stratum
Explanation
If you interpret something or make sense of it, you construe its meaning. If the new girl in your class asks to sit with you at lunch, you could construe that she wants to be friends. You can never have too many friends! To make an assumption based on evidence is to construe. You could construe that eating an entire box of cookies might make you feel a bit sick. And you might not want to eat them again for a very long time. The opposite of construe is misconstrue, which means to falsely or wrongly interpret. If you get a poor grade on an essay, you shouldn't construe that your teacher dislikes you. If you do, you misconstrue your work for his feelings.
Vocabulary lists containing construe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In ev'ry thing she doth but as she sho'ld: Construe the best, believe no tales new, For many a lie is told, that seems full true.
From The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by Purves, D. Laing
Construe and translate.—In my school-days, verbal rendering from Latin or Greek into English was construing; the same on paper was translating.
From Notes and Queries, Number 32, June 8, 1850 by Various
I hope no Body will Construe this to be a Personal Satyr upon Myn Heer Callemburgh, But take it among ye, let it go, where it Fitts best.
From The Lay-Man's Sermon upon the Late Storm Held forth at an Honest Coffee-House-Conventicle by Defoe, Daniel
Construe it how one might, there would be at least some awkwardness in accepting such hospitality.
From The Martins Of Cro' Martin, Vol. I (of II) by Lever, Charles James
Construe that, Mr. Barton.—I am going to send down my pictures to Boulge, if I can secure them: they are not quite secure at present.
From Letters of Edward FitzGerald in two volumes, Vol. 1 by Wright, William Aldis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
