1. Home
2. Idioms
3. give to understand

give to understand

---

---

give someone to understand something

to explain something to someone; to imply something to someone. (Possibly misleading someone, accidentally or intentionally. See also given to understand.) Mr. Smith gave Sally to understand that she should be home by midnight. The mayor gave the citizens to understand that there would be no tax increase. He didn't promise, though.

See also: give, understand

give to understand

Lead one to think, as in I was given to understand that the President was coming here. [Mid-1500s]

See also: give, understand