American Dictionary

Define dictionary terms easily in our powerful online English dictionary.

Searching for...

No matching words found

Try a different search term or browse the dictionary

Definition read in American English

read verb

verb
/rid/
1

to look at and understand words in a letter, book, newspaper, etc.

Example

I read a few chapters of a book every night.

Example

Here - read what his note says for yourself.

Example

He was sitting reading in the waiting room.

Example

Read on to find out more!

Example

By the age of five, he could read and write.

Example

I always read the paper from cover to cover.

Example

She read extensively in science and economics.

Synonyms and related words
1.1

to speak the words that you are looking at

Example

Read me that last sentence again.

Example

I'm going to read this poem aloud.

Example

She will be reading from her latest novel.

Synonyms and related words
1.2

to get information from books, newspapers, etc.

Example

I read somewhere that she was born in Chicago.

Example

We read it in the local paper.

Example

He likes reading about wildlife.

Synonyms and related words
1.3

used for telling someone about mistakes in printing

Example

On page 61, for "three thousand," read "three million."

Example

The figure £600 should be read as $600.

Synonyms and related words
2

if you can read music, you can understand the written marks that represent musical sounds

Synonyms and related words
2.1

to look at and understand the information, symbols, or numbers on a map or a piece of measuring equipment

Example

Has the man been here to read the gas meter?

Synonyms and related words
3

to understand something in a particular way

Example

They had read the situation extremely accurately.

Example

We had read their decision as an admission of failure.

Synonyms and related words
4

if a short piece of writing reads something, it contains those particular words

Example

The label read, "Suitable only for children over three."

Synonyms and related words
5

if a computer or other piece of electronic equipment reads something, it examines the information on it or copies it to a particular place

Example

The machine at the checkout reads your credit card.

Synonyms and related words
6

if a piece of measuring equipment reads something, it shows a particular number or amount

Example

The thermometer has been reading over 90 degrees all day.

Synonyms and related words
7

to be able to understand what someone is like or what they are thinking

Example

It was difficult to read his expression.

Synonyms and related words
8

if something reads well or badly, you think it has been written well or badly

Example

In general, the script reads beautifully.

Synonyms and related words
9

to hear someone who is speaking to you by radio

Example

This is Charlie Alpha Five. Do you read me?

Synonyms and related words
Example

A strong presenter should be able to read the room and adjust their style accordingly.

Definition read in American English