Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

1 ADJ If you describe someone's behaviour or feelings as understandable , you think that they have reacted to a situation in a natural way or in the way you would expect. □  His unhappiness was understandable. ●  under|stand|ably /ʌ ndə ^r stæ ndəbli/ ADV [ADV adj] □  The duke is understandably proud of Lady Helen and her achievements. □  Most organizations are, quite understandably, suspicious of new ideas.

2 ADJ If you say that something such as a statement or theory is understandable , you mean that people can easily understand it. □  She writes in a simple and understandable way.

under|stand|ing ◆◇◇ /ʌ ndə ^r stæ nd I ŋ/ (understandings )

1 N‑VAR If you have an understanding of something, you know how it works or know what it means. □ [+ of ] They have to have a basic understanding of computers in order to use the advanced technology.

2 ADJ If you are understanding towards someone, you are kind and forgiving. □  Her boss, who was very understanding, gave her time off. □  Fortunately for John, he had an understanding partner.

3 N‑UNCOUNT If you show understanding , you show that you realize how someone feels or why they did something, and are not hostile towards them. □  We would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.

4 N‑UNCOUNT If there is understanding between people, they are friendly towards each other and trust each other. □ [+ between ] There was complete understanding between Wilson and myself.

5 N‑COUNT An understanding is an informal agreement about something. □ [+ between ] We had not set a date for marriage but there was an understanding between us.

6 N‑SING [oft N that] If you say that it is your understanding that something is the case, you mean that you believe it to be the case because you have heard or read that it is. □  It is my understanding that this torture has been going on for many years.

7 PHRASE If you agree to do something on the understanding that something is true, you do it because you have been told that the other thing is definitely true. □  We paid £1,000 on the understanding that the price included all of the above.

under|state /ʌ ndə ^r ste I t/ (understates , understating , understated ) VERB If you understate something, you describe it in a way that suggests that it is less important or serious than it really is. □ [V n] The government chooses deliberately to understate the increase in prices.

under|stat|ed /ʌ ndə ^r ste I t I d/ ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe a style, colour, or effect as understated , you mean that it is not obvious. □  I have always liked understated clothes. □  …his typically understated humour.

under|state|ment /ʌ ndə ^r ste I tmənt/ (understatements )

1 N‑COUNT If you say that a statement is an understatement , you mean that it does not fully express the extent to which something is true. □  To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. □ [+ of ] He was getting very hard to live with, and that's the understatement of the year.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Understatement is the practice of suggesting that things have much less of a particular quality than they really have. □  He informed us with massive understatement that he was feeling disappointed. □  …typical British understatement.

under|stood /ʌ ndə ^r stʊ d/ Understood is the past tense and past participle of understand .