comprehend
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++com·pre·hend /ˌkɒmprɪˈhend $ ˌkɑːm-/ ●○○ verb [intransitive, transitive] UNDERSTANDto understand something that is complicated or difficult 理解，领悟〔复杂或困难的事物〕 SYN understand, grasp, → comprehension She cannot comprehend the extent of the disaster. 她无法理解这场灾难的严重程度。 I did not fully comprehend what had happened. 我没有完全理解发生了什么事。comprehend what/how/why etc It may be hard to comprehend how much this gift means for my country. 可能很难想象上天的这个恩赐对我们国家来说意义有多大。comprehend that Finally, she comprehended that he wanted his pay. 她终于明白了他是想要工钱。► see thesaurus at understand RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say understand rather than comprehend: 在日常英语中，人们一般说understand，而不说comprehendI could understand most of what she was saying. 她说的话我大部分都听懂了。n GRAMMAR: Patterns with comprehend• Comprehend is often used in the negative, especially with can’t/cannot: I cannot comprehend why anyone would do that.• Comprehend is not used in the progressive. ✗Don’t say: I am not comprehending why anyone would do that.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
comprehend• The dream is easy to describe, difficult to comprehend.• The pain of this incomplete ending of a relationship is impossible to comprehend.• A disposition to incremental change can deflect one from considering or even comprehending wider and more fundamental problems.• In industry I found the status system much more difficult to comprehend.• Take the time to read, comprehend, and evaluate the report.• God cannot truly be seen or comprehended by the human mind.• The chink in this otherwise disarming argument is that Nature exists only to the extent that we comprehend it.• A child can not comprehend the subtle difference between illegal segregation in the South and racial imbalance in the North.• Even scientists do not comprehend these phenomena.• The significance of the disappearance of the buffalo and the passenger pigeon was not fully comprehended until much later.• People did not comprehend what was happening, and there was genuine confusion over how to respond.comprehend that• Finally she comprehended that he wanted his pay.• My father failed to comprehend that his explanations were based as much upon faith as mine.• Such as he can not comprehend that which prompts others to give their heart free rein!Origin comprehend (1300-1400) Latin comprehendere “to take hold of completely”, from com- ( → COM-) + prehendere ( → PREHENSILE)com·pre·hend verb →n GRAMMAR1 →REGISTER1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
that understand complicated something Corpus to or is
comprehend
com‧pre‧hend /ˌkɒmprɪˈhend $ ˌkɑːm-/
verb [I, T not in progressive]
SYN understand, grasp ⇨ comprehension:
She cannot comprehend the extent of the disaster.
I did not fully comprehend what had happened.
comprehend what/how/why etc
It may be hard to comprehend how much this gift means for my country.
comprehend that
Finally, she comprehended that he wanted his pay.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say understand rather than comprehend:
▪I could understand most of what she was saying.
▪ understand to know the meaning of something, or the reasons for something: I understand what you’re saying. | Doctors are beginning to understand what causes the disease.
▪see especially spoken to understand something, especially the truth about a situation or the reasons for something: I can see why you don’t like him. | Do you see what I mean? | Oh, I see!
▪get informal to understand a joke, what someone says, the reasons why something is true etc: She didn’t seem to get the joke. | Do you get me? | He explained the math homework twice, but I still don’t get it. | I still don’t get why she left.
▪comprehend formal to understand something, or understand why something is important: The dream was easy to describe, but difficult to comprehend. | They had failed to comprehend the significance of the problem.
▪know what somebody means spoken to understand what someone is telling you, or what a situation is like, especially because you have some experience or knowledge about this: ‘It can be really hard to give up smoking.’ ‘I know exactly what you mean.’ | We now know what the scientists meant when they warned about global warming.
▪follow to understand something such as an explanation or story as you hear it, read it etc: The plot is hard to follow. | His instructions were easy to follow.
com‧pre‧hend /ˌkɒmprɪˈhend $ ˌkɑːm-/
verb [I, T not in progressive] Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: comprehendere 'to take hold of completely', from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + prehendere (, prehensile)
to understand something that is complicated or difficult Language: Latin
Origin: comprehendere 'to take hold of completely', from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + prehendere (, prehensile)
SYN understand, grasp ⇨ comprehension:
comprehend what/how/why etc
comprehend that
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say understand rather than comprehend:
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understand to know or realize the meaning of words, a language, what sb says, etc; to know or realize how or why sth happens, how it works or why it is important 指懂、理解、领会（词义、语言、话语等），了解、认识到、明白（事情如何或为何发生、如何起作用或为何重要等） ：◆ I don't understand the instructions. 我不懂这些指令的意思。 ◆ Doctors still don't understand much about the disease. 医生对这种疾病还了解不多。 see to understand what is happening, what sb is saying, how sth works or how important sth is 指理解、明白、领会（正在发生的事、某人的话、某事如何起作用或重要性如何） ：◆ 'It opens like this.' 'Oh, I see .'“这样就打开了。” “哦，我明白了。” ◆ Oh yes, I see what you mean .噢，我明白你的意思了。 get ( to understand a joke, what sb is trying to tell you, or a situation that they are trying to describe指理解、明白（笑话、某人试图告知的事或描述的情况） ：◆ She didn't get the joke. 她听不懂那个笑话。 ◆ I don't get you. 我搞不懂你的意思。 follow to understand an explanation, a story or the meaning of sth 指理解、明白（说明、故事、意思） ：◆ Sorry—I don't quite follow. 对不起，我不太懂你的话。 ◆ The plot is almost impossible to follow. 故事情节几乎叫人不明所以。 grasp to come to understand a fact, an idea or how to do sth 指理解、领会、领悟、明白（事实、想法或如何做某事） ：◆ They failed to grasp the importance of his words. 他们没有理解他的话的重要性。
understand or grasp? 用 understand 还是 grasp？
comprehend (often used in negative statements) ( to understand a fact, idea or reason（常用于否定句中）指理解、领悟、明白（事实、想法或原因） ：◆ The concept of infinity is almost impossible for the human mind to comprehend. 无穷的概念几乎是人类的大脑无法理解的。
Patterns
to understand/see/get/follow/grasp/comprehend what/why/how… to understand/see/grasp/comprehend that… to understand/see/get/grasp the point/idea (of sth)to be easy/difficult/hard to understand/see/follow/grasp/comprehendto fully understand/see/grasp/comprehend sth