Construe vs Apprehend - What's the difference?
construe | apprehend |
To interpret or explain the meaning of something.
(grammar) To analyze the grammatical structure of a clause or sentence.
*
To translate.
(archaic) To take or seize; to take hold of.
* (rfdate), .
To take or seize (a person) by legal process; to arrest.
To take hold of with the understanding, that is, to conceive in the mind; to become cognizant of; to understand; to recognize; to consider.
* (rfdate), .
* (rfdate)
*
To anticipate; especially, to anticipate with anxiety, dread, or fear; to fear.
* (rfdate) -- .
To think, believe, or be of opinion; to understand; to suppose.
To be apprehensive; to fear.
* (rfdate) .
(material dates from 1913)
As verbs the difference between construe and apprehend
is that construe is to interpret or explain the meaning of something while apprehend is to take or seize; to take hold of.As a noun construe
is a translation.construe
English
Verb
(en-verb)- The world must construe''' according to its wits; this court must '''construe according to the law.
- , 1954
- 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 .
Derived terms
* construction * misconstrueAnagrams
* * * * ----apprehend
English
Verb
(en verb)- We have two hands to apprehend it.
- to apprehend a criminal .
- This suspicion of Earl Reimund, though at first but a buzz, soon got a sting in the king's head, and he violently apprehended it.
- The eternal laws, such as the heroic age apprehended them.
- The opposition had more reason than the king to apprehend violence.
- It is worse to apprehend than to suffer.
Usage notes
To apprehend, comprehend. These words come into comparison as describing acts of the mind. Apprehend denotes the laying hold of a thing mentally, so as to understand it clearly, at least in part. Comprehend denotes the embracing or understanding it in all its compass and extent. We may apprehend many truths which we do not comprehend. The very idea of God supposes that he may be apprehended, though not comprehended, by rational beings. We may apprehend much of Shakespeare's aim and intention in the character of Hamlet or King Lear; but few will claim that they have comprehended all that is embraced in these characters. --Trench.(material dates from 1913)