he was given to understand that

  • 1give somebody to understand (that) … — give sb to believe/understand (that)… idiom often passive (formal) to make sb believe/understand sth • I was given to understand that she had resigned. Main entry: ↑giveidiom …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 2understand — un|der|stand W1S1 [ˌʌndəˈstænd US ər ] v past tense and past participle understood [ ˈstud] [not in progressive] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(meaning)¦ 2¦(fact/idea)¦ 3¦(person/feelings)¦ 4¦(believe/think)¦ 5 give somebody to understand (that) 6 be understood… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 3understand — verb past tense and past participle understood / stUd/ (not in progressive) 1 MEANING (I, T) to know the meaning of what someone is telling you, or the language that they speak: She doesn t understand English try Spanish. | I m sorry, I don t… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 4Given — Give Give (g[i^]v), v. t. [imp. {Gave} (g[=a]v); p. p. {Given} (g[i^]v n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Giving}.] [OE. given, yiven, yeven, AS. gifan, giefan; akin to D. geven, OS. ge[eth]an, OHG. geban, G. geben, Icel. gefa, Sw. gifva, Dan. give, Goth.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 5understand — [[t]ʌ̱ndə(r)stæ̱nd[/t]] ♦ understands, understanding, understood 1) VERB: no cont If you understand someone or understand what they are saying, you know what they mean. [V n] I think you heard and also understand me... [ …

    English dictionary

  • 6give somebody to believe (that) … — give sb to believe/understand (that)… idiom often passive (formal) to make sb believe/understand sth • I was given to understand that she had resigned. Main entry: ↑giveidiom …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 7give to understand — make a person understand by telling him very plainly or boldly I was given to understand that I could rent an apartment very easily here …

    Idioms and examples

  • 8give someone to understand — (or believe or know) inform someone in a formal and rather indirect way I was given to understand that I had been invited …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 9understand */*/*/ — UK [ˌʌndə(r)ˈstænd] / US [ˌʌndərˈstænd] verb [never progressive] Word forms understand : present tense I/you/we/they understand he/she/it understands present participle understanding past tense understood UK [ˌʌndə(r)ˈstʊd] / US [ˌʌndərˈstʊd]… …

    English dictionary

  • 10understand — un|der|stand [ ,ʌndər stænd ] (past tense and past participle un|der|stood [ ,ʌndər stud ] ) verb never progressive *** ▸ 1 know what someone/something means ▸ 2 know reasons/effects ▸ 3 know how someone feels ▸ 4 have heard/read something ▸ 5 in …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English