read meaning and definition

READ noun

Definition of read (noun)

1. something that is read
   • "the article was a very good read"

READ verb

Definition of read (verb)

1. interpret something that is written or printed
   • "read the advertisement"; "Have you read Salman Rushdie?"
2. have or contain a certain wording or form
   • "The passage reads as follows"; "What does the law say?"
   • synonyms: say
3. look at, interpret, and say out loud something that is written or printed
   • "The King will read the proclamation at noon"
4. obtain data from magnetic tapes
   • "This dictionary can be read by the computer"
   • synonyms: scan
5. interpret the significance of, as of palms, tea leaves, intestines, the sky; also of human behavior
   • "She read the sky and predicted rain"; "I can't read his strange behavior"; "The fortune teller read his fate in the crystal ball"
6. interpret something in a certain way; convey a particular meaning or impression
   • "I read this address as a satire"; "How should I take this message?"; "You can't take credit for this!"
   • synonyms: take
7. be a student of a certain subject
   • "She is reading for the bar exam"
   • synonyms: learn, study, take
8. indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments
   • "The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero"; "The gauge read `empty'"
   • synonyms: record, register, show
9. audition for a stage role by reading parts of a role
   • "He is auditioning for `Julius Caesar' at Stratford this year"
10. to hear and understand
    • "I read you loud and clear!"
11. make sense of a language
    • "She understands French"; "Can you read Greek?"
    • synonyms: interpret, translate, understand