forstand
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forstand
- /fə(ɹ)ˈstænd/ UK
- /fɔː(ɹ)ˈstænd/ UK
- /fɚˈstænd/ US
Where it comes from
From Middle English forstanden, from Old English forstandan (“to defend, help, protect, withstand, prevent, hinder, resist, oppose, benefit, avail, understand, signify, be equal to”), from Proto-West Germanic *frastandan (“to understand, oppose”), equivalent to for- + stand. Cognate with West Frisian ferstean (“to understand”), Saterland Frisian ferstounde (“to understand”), Dutch verstaan (“to understand”), German verstehen (“to understand”). Compare also Norwegian Bokmål forstå (“to comprehend, understand”), Swedish förstå (“to comprehend, understand”).
verb forstands · forstanding · forstood · forestand
- To stand against; stand in front of so as to bar the way; block; oppose; withstand. And ſure, although it was invented to eaſe his mynde of griefe, there be a number of caveats therein to forewarne other young gentlemen to foreſtand with good government their folowing yl fortunes; […]
- To understand; comprehend. How can I forstand your Professors, when they dinna forstand themselves.
