English Dictionary

construe

/kənˈstɹuː/

verb

(transitive) To interpret or explain the meaning of something. / (grammar, transitive) To analyze the grammatical structure of a clause or sentence; to parse.

I construe his silence as a sign of agreement.

意味（1）

(transitive) To interpret or explain the meaning of something.

The world must construe according to its wits; this court must construe according to the law.

意味（2）

(grammar, transitive) To analyze the grammatical structure of a clause or sentence; to parse.

Thus, in a sentence such as:

(113) John considers [_S Fred to be too sure of himself]

the italicised Reflexive himself can only be construed with Fred, not with John: this follows from our assumption that non-subject Reflexives must have an antecedent within their own S. Notice, however, that in a sentence such as:

(114) John seems to me [_S — to have perjured himself]

Thus, in a sentence such as: (113) John considers [_S Fred to be too sure of himself] the italicised Reflexive himself can only be construed with Fred, not with John: this follows from our assumption that non-subject Reflexives must have an antecedent within their own S. Notice, however, that in a sentence such as: (114) John seems to me [_S — to have perjured himself] himself must be construed with John.

意味（3）

(grammar, ergative) To admit of grammatical analysis.

意味（4）

(transitive) To translate.

意味（5）

To infer.