construen

See also: constrúen

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin cōnstruō (“agglomerate”), from con- (“with”) +‎ struō (“pile up, arrange; build, erect”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɔnˈstriu̯ən/, /ˈkɔnstriu̯ən/
  • (reduced) IPA(key): /ˈkɔnstrən/

Verb

construen (third-person singular simple present construeth, present participle construende, construynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle construed)

  1. (grammar) To be part of a construction; to construct.
  2. To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:
    1. (translation) To translate semantically (rather than word-by-word)
    2. (writing) To render into written language.
  3. To infer or conclude; to develop a factual conclusion.

Conjugation

Conjugation of construen (weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) construen, construe
present tense past tense
1st-person singular construe construed
2nd-person singular construest construedest
3rd-person singular construeth construed
subjunctive singular construe
imperative singular —
plural1 construen, construe construeden, construede
imperative plural construeth, construe —
participles construynge, construende construed

1 Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

  • English: construe (obsolete conster)

References

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