"construen" meaning in Middle English

See construen in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /kɔnˈstriu̯ən/, /ˈkɔnstriu̯ən/, /ˈkɔnstrən/ [reduced]
Etymology: Borrowed from Late Latin cōnstruō (“agglomerate”), from con- (“with”) + struō (“pile up, arrange; build, erect”). Etymology templates: {{bor+|enm|la-lat|cōnstruō|t=agglomerate}} Borrowed from Late Latin cōnstruō (“agglomerate”), {{affix|la|con-|struō|nocat=1|t1=with|t2=pile up, arrange; build, erect}} con- (“with”) + struō (“pile up, arrange; build, erect”) Head templates: {{head|enm|verb|head=}} construen, {{enm-verb|stem=constru}} construen (third-person singular simple present construeth, present participle construende, construynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle construed) Inflection templates: {{enm-conj-wk|constru|y=0}} Forms: construeth [present, singular, third-person], construende [participle, present], construynge [participle, present], construed [first-person, indicative, participle, past, singular, third-person], no-table-tags [table-tags], construen [infinitive], to construen [infinitive], construe [infinitive], construe [first-person, present, singular], construed [first-person, past, singular], construest [present, second-person, singular], construedest [past, second-person, singular], construeth [present, singular, third-person], construed [past, singular, third-person], construe [present, singular, subjunctive], construed [past, singular, subjunctive], construe [imperative, present, singular], - [imperative, past, singular], construen [plural, present], construe [plural, present], construeden [past, plural], construede [past, plural], construeth [imperative, plural, present], construe [imperative, plural, present], - [imperative, past, plural], construynge [participle, present], construende [participle, present], construed [participle, past], constreu [alternative], constrew [alternative], constrewe [alternative], constru [alternative], construe [alternative], construwe [alternative], construyn [alternative], constrw [alternative], constre [alternative, reduced]
  1. (grammar) To be part of a construction; to construct.
    Sense id: en-construen-enm-verb-FT4ZUlrh Categories (other): Grammar Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
  2. To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:
    (translation) To translate semantically (rather than word-by-word)
    Sense id: en-construen-enm-verb-idYl98jN Categories (other): Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 10 58 23 9 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 9 61 23 7
  3. To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:
    (writing) To render into written language.
    Sense id: en-construen-enm-verb-hqtlJ7qj Categories (other): Writing, Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 16 22 52 9 Topics: communications, journalism, literature, media, publishing, writing
  4. To infer or conclude; to develop a factual conclusion.
    Sense id: en-construen-enm-verb-Z5Opdt~s

Alternative forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "en",
            "2": "construe",
            "qq": "obsolete <i class=\"Latn mention\" lang=\"en\">conster</i>"
          },
          "expansion": "English: construe (obsolete conster)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "English: construe (obsolete conster)"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la-lat",
        "3": "cōnstruō",
        "t": "agglomerate"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Late Latin cōnstruō (“agglomerate”)",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "con-",
        "3": "struō",
        "nocat": "1",
        "t1": "with",
        "t2": "pile up, arrange; build, erect"
      },
      "expansion": "con- (“with”) + struō (“pile up, arrange; build, erect”)",
      "name": "affix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Late Latin cōnstruō (“agglomerate”), from con- (“with”) + struō (“pile up, arrange; build, erect”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "construeth",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construende",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construynge",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "tags": [
        "first-person",
        "indicative",
        "participle",
        "past",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "no-table-tags",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "enm-conj-wk",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construen",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "infinitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "to construen",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "infinitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "infinitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "first-person",
        "present",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "first-person",
        "past",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construest",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "second-person",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construedest",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "second-person",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construeth",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "subjunctive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "singular",
        "subjunctive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "present",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "-",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "past",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construen",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construeden",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construede",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construeth",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "-",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "past",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construynge",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construende",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constreu",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constrew",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constrewe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constru",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construwe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construyn",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constrw",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constre",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "reduced"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "verb",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "construen",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "stem": "constru"
      },
      "expansion": "construen (third-person singular simple present construeth, present participle construende, construynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle construed)",
      "name": "enm-verb"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "constru",
        "y": "0"
      },
      "name": "enm-conj-wk"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Grammar",
          "orig": "enm:Grammar",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be part of a construction; to construct."
      ],
      "id": "en-construen-enm-verb-FT4ZUlrh",
      "links": [
        [
          "grammar",
          "grammar"
        ],
        [
          "part",
          "part"
        ],
        [
          "construction",
          "construction"
        ],
        [
          "construct",
          "construct"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(grammar) To be part of a construction; to construct."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "grammar",
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "10 58 23 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 61 23 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "To translate semantically (rather than word-by-word)"
      ],
      "id": "en-construen-enm-verb-idYl98jN",
      "links": [
        [
          "construe",
          "construe"
        ],
        [
          "interpret",
          "interpret"
        ],
        [
          "explain",
          "explain"
        ],
        [
          "meaning",
          "meaning"
        ],
        [
          "translate",
          "translate"
        ],
        [
          "semantically",
          "semantically"
        ],
        [
          "word",
          "word#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "translation",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "(translation) To translate semantically (rather than word-by-word)"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Writing",
          "orig": "enm:Writing",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 22 52 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "To render into written language."
      ],
      "id": "en-construen-enm-verb-hqtlJ7qj",
      "links": [
        [
          "construe",
          "construe"
        ],
        [
          "interpret",
          "interpret"
        ],
        [
          "explain",
          "explain"
        ],
        [
          "meaning",
          "meaning"
        ],
        [
          "writing",
          "writing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "render",
          "render"
        ],
        [
          "written",
          "written"
        ],
        [
          "language",
          "language"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "(writing) To render into written language."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "communications",
        "journalism",
        "literature",
        "media",
        "publishing",
        "writing"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To infer or conclude; to develop a factual conclusion."
      ],
      "id": "en-construen-enm-verb-Z5Opdt~s",
      "links": [
        [
          "infer",
          "infer"
        ],
        [
          "conclude",
          "conclude"
        ],
        [
          "develop",
          "develop"
        ],
        [
          "factual",
          "factual"
        ],
        [
          "conclusion",
          "conclusion"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kɔnˈstriu̯ən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɔnstriu̯ən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɔnstrən/",
      "tags": [
        "reduced"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "construen"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English terms borrowed from Late Latin",
    "Middle English terms derived from Late Latin",
    "Middle English verbs",
    "Middle English weak verbs",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "en",
            "2": "construe",
            "qq": "obsolete <i class=\"Latn mention\" lang=\"en\">conster</i>"
          },
          "expansion": "English: construe (obsolete conster)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "English: construe (obsolete conster)"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la-lat",
        "3": "cōnstruō",
        "t": "agglomerate"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Late Latin cōnstruō (“agglomerate”)",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "con-",
        "3": "struō",
        "nocat": "1",
        "t1": "with",
        "t2": "pile up, arrange; build, erect"
      },
      "expansion": "con- (“with”) + struō (“pile up, arrange; build, erect”)",
      "name": "affix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Late Latin cōnstruō (“agglomerate”), from con- (“with”) + struō (“pile up, arrange; build, erect”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "construeth",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construende",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construynge",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "tags": [
        "first-person",
        "indicative",
        "participle",
        "past",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "no-table-tags",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "enm-conj-wk",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construen",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "infinitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "to construen",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "infinitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "infinitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "first-person",
        "present",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "first-person",
        "past",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construest",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "second-person",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construedest",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "second-person",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construeth",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "subjunctive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "singular",
        "subjunctive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "present",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "-",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "past",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construen",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construeden",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construede",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construeth",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "-",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "imperative",
        "past",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construynge",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construende",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construed",
      "source": "conjugation",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constreu",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constrew",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constrewe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constru",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construwe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "construyn",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constrw",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "constre",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "reduced"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "verb",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "construen",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "stem": "constru"
      },
      "expansion": "construen (third-person singular simple present construeth, present participle construende, construynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle construed)",
      "name": "enm-verb"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "constru",
        "y": "0"
      },
      "name": "enm-conj-wk"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "enm:Grammar"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be part of a construction; to construct."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "grammar",
          "grammar"
        ],
        [
          "part",
          "part"
        ],
        [
          "construction",
          "construction"
        ],
        [
          "construct",
          "construct"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(grammar) To be part of a construction; to construct."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "grammar",
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "To translate semantically (rather than word-by-word)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "construe",
          "construe"
        ],
        [
          "interpret",
          "interpret"
        ],
        [
          "explain",
          "explain"
        ],
        [
          "meaning",
          "meaning"
        ],
        [
          "translate",
          "translate"
        ],
        [
          "semantically",
          "semantically"
        ],
        [
          "word",
          "word#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "translation",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "(translation) To translate semantically (rather than word-by-word)"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "enm:Writing"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "To render into written language."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "construe",
          "construe"
        ],
        [
          "interpret",
          "interpret"
        ],
        [
          "explain",
          "explain"
        ],
        [
          "meaning",
          "meaning"
        ],
        [
          "writing",
          "writing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "render",
          "render"
        ],
        [
          "written",
          "written"
        ],
        [
          "language",
          "language"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "To construe; to interpret or explain the meaning of:",
        "(writing) To render into written language."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "communications",
        "journalism",
        "literature",
        "media",
        "publishing",
        "writing"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To infer or conclude; to develop a factual conclusion."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "infer",
          "infer"
        ],
        [
          "conclude",
          "conclude"
        ],
        [
          "develop",
          "develop"
        ],
        [
          "factual",
          "factual"
        ],
        [
          "conclusion",
          "conclusion"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kɔnˈstriu̯ən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɔnstriu̯ən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɔnstrən/",
      "tags": [
        "reduced"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "construen"
}

Download raw JSONL data for construen meaning in Middle English (6.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-08-04 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-08-02 using wiktextract (a681f8a and 3c020d2). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.