'To give one to understand' definitions:

Definition of 'To give one to understand'

From: GCIDE
  • Understand \Un`der*stand"\ ([u^]n`d[~e]r*st[a^]nd"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Understood ([u^]n`d[~e]r*st[oo^]d"), and Archaic Understanded; p. pr. & vb. n. Understanding.] [OE. understanden, AS. understandan, literally, to stand under; cf. AS. forstandan to understand, G. verstehen. The development of sense is not clear. See Under, and Stand.]
  • 1. To have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning or intention of; to have knowledge of; to comprehend; to know; as, to understand a problem in Euclid; to understand a proposition or a declaration; the court understands the advocate or his argument; to understand the sacred oracles; to understand a nod or a wink. [1913 Webster]
  • Speaketh [i. e., speak thou] so plain at this time, I you pray, That we may understande what ye say. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • I understand not what you mean by this. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Understood not all was but a show. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • A tongue not understanded of the people. --Bk. of Com. Prayer. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To be apprised, or have information, of; to learn; to be informed of; to hear; as, I understand that Congress has passed the bill. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To recognize or hold as being or signifying; to suppose to mean; to interpret; to explain. [1913 Webster]
  • The most learned interpreters understood the words of sin, and not of Abel. --Locke. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To mean without expressing; to imply tacitly; to take for granted; to assume. [1913 Webster]
  • War, then, war, Open or understood, must be resolved. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To stand under; to support. [Jocose & R.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • To give one to understand, to cause one to know.
  • To make one's self understood, to make one's meaning clear. [1913 Webster]