understand verb

ADV. clearly, well | fully, perfectly, quite I fully understand the reason for your decision. | not really Her behaviour wounded him in a way he did not really understand. | adequately | correctly, properly She realized that she had never properly understood him. | easily, readily The reasons for this decision are not easily understood. | instinctively, intuitively She intuitively understood his need to be alone.

VERB + UNDERSTAND be able/unable to, can/could I can't understand what all the fuss is about. | try to | begin to | be easy to | be difficult to, be hard to It is difficult to understand why he reacted in that way. | help (to), help sb (to)

PREP. about We understand little about this disease.

PHRASES be commonly/generally/popularly understood What is generally understood by ‘democracy’? | be imperfectly/incompletely/poorly understood The effects of these chemicals on the body are still poorly understood. | be universally/widely understood