26984 words

interpret

5 definitions • 6 examples
1
to decide what the intended meaning of something is:

Examples:

It's difficult to interpret these statistics without knowing how they were obtained.
A jury should not interpret the silence of a defendant as a sign of guilt.
2
to express your own ideas about the intended meaning of a play or a piece of music when performing it:

Examples:

If Shakespeare's plays are to reach a large audience they need to be interpreted in a modern style.
3
to change what someone is saying into another language:

Examples:

We had to ask our guide to interpret for us.
4
to describe the meaning of something; examine in order to explain:

Examples:

It’s difficult to interpret these statistics without knowing how they were obtained.
5
to change what someone is saying into the words of another language; translate:

Examples:

[ I ] I had to ask someone to interpret for me because I don’t know any Italian.

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