Basic Details
Word: Construe
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To understand the meaning of something or to interpret something in a particular way.
Synonyms: Interpret, explain, understand
Antonyms: Misinterpret, confuse, misunderstand
Idioms and Phrases
- Construe something as: To understand or interpret something in a specific way. Example: "She chose to construe his silence as agreement."
- Construe with caution: To interpret something carefully to avoid misunderstanding. Example: "You should construe the instructions with caution to avoid making mistakes."
Usage Examples
Example 1: When reading the poem, it’s important to construe the emotions behind the words to fully appreciate the writer’s intent.
Example 2: The teacher asked the students to construe the data from the experiment and discuss their findings.
Example 3: Different cultures can construe gestures in various ways, which may lead to misunderstandings.
Fun Fact
The word “construe†comes from the Latin word “construere,†which means "to build together." This reflects how we build understanding or meaning from words and ideas.
Famous Quote
"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." Rudyard Kipling. This relates to "construe" as how we interpret words can have significant impacts.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "construe" mean?
a) To destroy
b) To understand or interpret
c) To collect something
d) To sing a song
Answer: b) To understand or interpret
2. Which of these is a synonym of "construe"?
a) Collect
b) Interpret
c) Dance
d) Laugh
Answer: b) Interpret
3. Which of these is an antonym of "construe"?
a) Understand
b) Misinterpret
c) Explain
d) Discuss
Answer: b) Misinterpret
4. Which sentence uses "construe" correctly?
a) He will construe the road signs.
b) She can construe the text in several ways.
c) They chose to construe the ball.
d) The rain will construe tomorrow.
Answer: b) She can construe the text in several ways.
5. What does "construe something as" mean?
a) To ignore something
b) To understand something in a specific way
c) To throw something away
d) To create something new
Answer: b) To understand something in a specific way
