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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | rædan |
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Related topics:read1 S1 W1
past tense and past participle read
past tense and past participle read
1 to look at written words and understand what they mean : I can't read your writing. She picked up the letter and read it. Read the instructions carefully before you start. children who are just learning to read and write When I was young, I read every one of his books from cover to cover. (=read all of something because you are very interested )
words/books
[intransitive and transitive]I can't read your writing.She picked up the letter and read it.Read the instructions carefully before you start.children who are just learning to read and writeWhen I was young, I read every one of his books from cover to cover. (=read all of something because you are very interested )2 to find out information from books, newspapers etc : You can't believe everything you read in the papers.
find information
[intransitive,transitive not in progressive]You can't believe everything you read in the papers.3 to say the words in a book, newspaper etc so that people can hear them
read and speak
[intransitive and transitive] read (something) to somebody Our mother reads to us every evening. Teachers should read more poetry to children.
Our mother reads to us every evening.Teachers should read more poetry to children.4 to look at signs or pictures and understand what they mean : He plays the violin very well but can't actually read music. Are you any good at map reading?
music/maps etc
[transitive]He plays the violin very well but can't actually read music.Are you any good at map reading?5TD if a computer can read a disk, it can take the information that is on the disk and put it into its memory
computer
[transitive] technicalTD6 to understand a situation, remark etc in one of several possible ways [= interpret]: I wasn't sure how to read his silence.
understand something in a particular way
[transitive always + adverb/preposition]I wasn't sure how to read his silence. read something as something She shook her head, and I read this as a refusal. The poem can be read as a protest against war.
She shook her head, and I read this as a refusal.The poem can be read as a protest against war. read something well/accurately (=understand something correctly) He had accurately read the mood of the nation.
He had accurately read the mood of the nation.7 used to say what words are on a sign, in a letter etc [= say]: A sign on the outer door read: 'No Entry'.
have words on
[transitive not in progressive]A sign on the outer door read: 'No Entry'.8 if something reads well, badly etc, it has been written well, badly etc :
style of writing
[intransitive]9 to replace one word or number with another one, usually with the correct one : Please read £50 as £15. For 'November' (=instead of November) on line 6, read 'September'.
read something as/for something
Please read £50 as £15.For 'November' (=instead of November) on line 6, read 'September'.10
measuring
[transitive]a) TM to look at the number or amount shown on a measuring instrument : Someone should be coming to read the gas meter.
Someone should be coming to read the gas meter.b) TM if a measuring instrument reads a particular number, it shows that number : The thermometer read 46 degrees.
The thermometer read 46 degrees.11 to study a subject at a university : I read history at Cambridge.
at university
[intransitive and transitive] British EnglishSECI read history at Cambridge.12 to feel certain that something is true although no one has told you it is true [= assume]: You can take it as read that we will support the project.
take it as read (that)
especially British EnglishYou can take it as read that we will support the project.13 to accept that a report or statement is correct without reading it or discussing it : We'll take the secretary's report as read.
take something as read
We'll take the secretary's report as read.14 to guess someone's real feelings from something they say or write, when they do not tell you directly : Reading between the lines, I'd say Robert's not very happy.
read between the lines
Reading between the lines, I'd say Robert's not very happy.15 to guess what someone else is thinking : 'Want some coffee?' 'You read my mind.'
read somebody's mind/thoughts
'Want some coffee?' 'You read my mind.'16 if you can read someone like a book, you know them so well that you immediately know what they are thinking or feeling
can read somebody like a book
17 to look carefully at someone's hand, in order to find out about their future
read somebody's palm
RO18 to understand what someone is saying by watching the way their lips move. People who cannot hear do this. ➔ lip-read
read somebody's lips
19 used to tell someone that you really mean what you are saying : Read my lips: I will not let you down.
read my lips
spokenRead my lips: I will not let you down.20 used to ask someone whether they can hear you when you are speaking to them by radio
do you read me?
spoken21 someone who is well-read has read a lot of books and knows a lot about many subjects : She is intelligent and extremely well-read.
well-read/widely-read
She is intelligent and extremely well-read. ➔ readingWORD FOCUS: read
to read parts of something: dip into, flick/leaf through, browse through
to read something quickly: skim, scan
to read something carefully: pore over, scrutinize
to read something long and boring: plough through British English/plow through American English, wade through
clear enough to read: legible
not clear enough to read: illegible
someone who is unable to read: illiterate
someone who likes reading very much: bookworm
➔ read (somebody) the riot act
at riot1 (4)WORD FOCUS: readWORD FOCUS: read to read parts of something: dip into, flick/leaf through, browse through
to read something quickly: skim, scan
to read something carefully: pore over, scrutinize
to read something long and boring: plough through British English/plow through American English, wade through
clear enough to read: legible
not clear enough to read: illegible
someone who is unable to read: illiterate
someone who likes reading very much: bookworm
read something ↔ back
phrasal verbread for something
phrasal verbAPT to say some of the words that are said by a particular character in a play, as a test of your ability to act
read something into something
phrasal verbIt was only a casual remark. I think you're reading too much into it.read something ↔ out
phrasal verbWhy don't you read out the name of the winner?read something ↔ through/over
phrasal verbRead the contract over carefully before you sign it.Spend a couple of minutes just reading through your essay.read up on something
phrasal verbYou'll enjoy traveling more if you read up on the history of the countries you'll be visiting.