Main Entry:

¹con·strue

Pronunciation:

\kən-ˈstrü\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

con·strued; con·stru·ing

Etymology:

Middle English, from Late Latin construere, from Latin, to construct

Date:

14th century

transitive verb 1 : to analyze the arrangement and connection of words in (a sentence or sentence part) 2 : to understand or explain the sense or intention of usually in a particular way or with respect to a given set of circumstances <construed my actions as hostile> intransitive verb : to construe a sentence or sentence part especially in connection with translating

— con·stru·able \-ˈstrü-ə-bəl\ adjective