Definitions Related words Phrases Mentions Lyrics History Colors (New!)

Literary notes about understood (AI summary)

The word “understood” in literature is used in multifaceted ways that go beyond mere comprehension, serving both literal and metaphorical functions. In some instances, it denotes the act of making oneself clear or communicating effectively. For example, Chekhov’s character strives to “make myself understood” during a futile conversation ([1]), while Dickens uses it to indicate an immediate grasp of expectations ([2]). In other contexts, “understood” conveys a deeper, intuitive insight into complex human emotions or cultural subtleties, as when Tolstoy notes that a man “understood his wife’s line of thought” ([3]) or when a character comes to an epiphanic realization that transforms his mood ([4]). The term is also applied in scientific and logical discourses where precision is key, such as in Newton’s technical discussions ([5]) and the analysis of implied understanding in psychology ([6]). Thus, “understood” functions as a bridge between practical communication and profound cognitive or emotional insight, a versatility that has made it a favorite tool for authors across genres and eras ([1], [3], [5], [2], [6], [4]).
  1. It was useless and unpleasant to go on with the conversation, but I still sat there and raised objections in the hope of making myself understood.
    — from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
  2. He understood, he knew what was expected of him.
    — from The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne
  3. He understood his wife’s line of thought.
    — from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
  4. But at the same moment she understood, and a light of infinite happiness came into her eyes.
    — from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  5. And the same is to be understood when an Object is viewed, whose parts are some of them less luminous than others.
    — from Opticks : by Isaac Newton
  6. It is never absent; no word in an understood sentence comes to consciousness as a mere noise.
    — from The Principles of Psychology, Volume 1 (of 2) by William James

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, BlueSky


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Threepeat Redux