read

present singular third person reads · participle present reading · archaic dialectal participle past readen · archaic first person past singular redd · archaic present second person singular readest · archaic past second person singular redd · archaic past second person singular readst · present singular third person reads · archaic present singular third person readeth · archaic past singular third person redd · archaic past plural redd · archaic past subjunctive redd · participle present reading · archaic participle past readen

1. intransitivetransitiveTo look at and interpret letters or other information that is written.

   Have you read this book?

   4 more examples

   He doesn’t like to read.

   During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant[…]

   1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond

   She reads Playgirl magazine, goes to a male-strip joint and then complains about sexual harassment on the job.

   1982, Robert M. Evenson, “"Liberated" Woman"”, in The Cincinnati Enquirer

   On this occasion he was carrying in his right hand a copy of the English-language China News, an odd touch because the President did not read English.

   1983, James C. H. Shen, “A Round of Calls”, in Robert Myers, editor, The U.S. & Free China: How the U.S. Sold Out Its Ally, Washington, D.C.: Acropolis Books Ltd., →ISBN, page 112

   Synonyms: interpret, make out, make sense of, understand, scan

   1. ergativeintransitivetransitiveTo be understood or physically read in a specific way.

      Arabic reads right to left.

      2 more examples

      That sentence reads strangely.

      Place-names throughout the 4,000-mile-long passage read like a roster of those who challenged its icy labyrinths of more than 18,000 islands—Baffin, Hudson, Davis, Foxe, Parry, Bylot, Sverdrup.

      1989 May, Jeff MacInnis, “Braving the Northwest Passage”, in National Geographic, volume 175, number 5, page 586

      Synonyms: interpret, make out, make sense of, understand, scan

   2. intransitivemetonymicallytransitiveTo read a work or works written by the named author.

      At the moment I'm reading Milton.

      Synonyms: interpret, make out, make sense of, understand, scan

2. intransitivetransitiveTo speak aloud words or other information that is written. (often construed with a to phrase or an indirect object)

   He read us a passage from his new book.

   3 more examples

   All right, class, who wants to read next?

   In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […] and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC

   He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement. […]

   1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC

   Synonyms: read aloud, read out, read out loud, speak

3. transitiveTo interpret, or infer a meaning, significance, thought, intention, etc., from.

   I can read his feelings in his face.

   1 more example

   She read my mind and promptly rose to get me a glass of water.

4. To consist of certain text.

   On the door hung a sign that read "No admittance".

   Synonyms: say, run

5. ergativeTo substitute a corrected piece of text in place of an erroneous one; used to introduce an emendation of a text.

   In Livy, it is nearly certain that for Pylleon we should read Pteleon, as this place is mentioned in connection with Antron.

   1832, John Lemprière et al., Bibliotheca classica, Seventh Edition, W. E. Dean, page 263

   1 more example

   The sign of coefficient a(3) in the general formula of Table 2 should be plus instead of minus. Thus, the formula should read […]

   2001, Astronomy & Astrophysics, volume 376, issue 3, p. 1039

   Synonyms: sic pro

   1. broadlyergativehumorousimperativeironicusuallyUsed to introduce a blunter, actually intended meaning.

      Our school focuses primarily on the liberal arts (read "useless degrees").

      3 more examples

      Eliminate illogical (read: stupid) answer choices.

      2009, Suzee Vlk et al., The GRE Test for Dummies, 6th edition, Wiley Publishing, →ISBN, page 191

      Parents, meanwhile, deplored [Bratz dolls] as far too adult (read: slutty) for kids, accusing the doe-eyed, pouty-lipped toys of fostering unhealthy body images among young girls.

      2010 December 23, Tamara Weston, “From Tickle Me Elmo to Squinkies: Top 10 Toy Crazes”, in Time

      I also did a long-wear test, as y'do and after scoffing my face with some food (read: I am feral when it comes to a midday snack, so what), the striking colour that I was wearing, named 'Jet', had stayed put. Pigment, check ✅.

      2023 May 12, Lia Mappoura, “I tried Glossier's brand new G Suit lip crèmes so you don't have to – you're welcome”, in Cosmopolitan

      Synonyms: sic pro

6. transitivecommunicationsTo be able to hear what another person is saying over a radio connection.

   Do you read me?

   1 more example

   Hello, HAL. Do you read me, HAL?

   1968, Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey, spoken by Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea)

   Synonyms: copy, hear, receive

7. transitiverail transportTo observe and comprehend (a displayed signal).

   A repeater signal may be used where the track geometry makes the main signal difficult to read from a distance.

8. Commonwealthtransitiveexcept ScotlandTo study (a subject) at a high level, especially at university.

   I am reading theology at university.

   1 more example

   Crabbe wanted him to go to England, to read for a degree there.

   1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 94

   Synonyms: learn, study

9. transitivecomputingTo fetch data from (a storage medium, etc.).

   to read a port

   2 more examples

   to read a hard disk

   to read the keyboard

10. transitiveTo recognise (someone) as being transgender.

    Every time I go outside, I worry that someone will read me.

    Synonyms: clock

11. at first especially in the black LGBTQ communityTo call attention to the flaws of (someone) in a playful, taunting, or insulting way.

    I've seen drags "read" an unattractive transsexual until she was almost in tears.

    1976 August 7, Tommi Avicolli, “The Politics of Camp”, in Gay Community News, page 9

    3 more examples

    Snapping, we are told, comes from reading, or exposing hidden flaws in a person's life, and out of reading comes shade […]

    1997, Framing Culture: Africanism, Sexuality and Performance, page 186 (also discussing Paris is Burning)

    CB [a black gay person being quoted]: "So, one time I read him and we were standing downstairs at the front desk in the dorm and I read him and there was this little bell […]." In the first example, the interviewee [CB] used snapping to read his white friend in a playful way, […].

    2003, Philip Auslander, Performance: Media and technology, page 179

    [One] assumes that such language contests are racially motivated—black folks talking back to white folks. However, the ball world makes it clear that blacks can read each other too.

    2013, Queer Looks, page 114 (discussing Paris is Burning and "the ball world")

12. goTo imagine sequences of potential moves and responses without actually placing stones.
13. obsoleteTo think, believe; to consider (that).

    But now, faire Ladie, comfort to you make, / And read[…] / That short reuenge the man may ouertake […]

    1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

14. obsoleteTo advise; to counsel. See rede.

    This is the wandring wood, this Errours den, / A monster vile, whom God and man does hate: / Therefore I read beware.

    1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 6

    1 more example

    [T]herfore / I red the [thee] / gete the [thee] to Gods vvorde ãd [and] therby trye all doctrine and agenſt that receave nothinge.

    1528 October 12 (Gregorian calendar), William Tyndale, “The .IIIJ. Senses of yͤ Scripture”, in The Obediẽce of a Christen Man […], [Antwerp]: [Johannes Hoochstraten], →OCLC, folio cxlvi, verso

15. obsoleteTo tell; to declare; to recite.

    But read how art thou named, and of what kin.

    1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

16. video gamesTo predict another player's actions before they perform them or before they are apparent.

plural reads

1. A reading or an act of reading, especially of an actor's part of a play or a piece of stored data.

   I had a read of the evening papers.

   3 more examples

   One newswoman here lets magazines for a penny a read.

   1879, Frederick James Furnivall, letter to the editor of "The Spectator"

   And when he finishes supper / Planning to have a read at the evening paper / It's Put a screw in this wall— / He has no time at all[…]

   1958, Philip Larkin, Self's the Man

   In other words, the system can do 1200 reads per second with no writes, the average write is twice as slow as the average read, and the relationship is linear.

   2006, MySQL administrator's guide and language reference, page 393

2. in compoundsSomething to be read; a written work.

   His thrillers are always a gripping read.

3. A person's interpretation or impression of something.

   What's your read of the current political situation?

   1 more example

   On the quarterback's first read of the situation, his target receiver was not open.

4. at first especially in the black LGBTQ communityAn instance of reading (“calling attention to someone's flaws; a taunt or insult”).

   Like most African-American women, Pearlie Mae uses snapping in many of the same ways that black gay men use it: to accentuate a read.

   2003, Philip Auslander, Performance: Media and technology, page 185

   2 more examples

   [As] Corey points out, "if you and I are both black queens then we can't call each other black queens because that's not a read. That's a [fact]."

   1997, Framing Culture: Africanism, Sexuality and Performance, page 186 (also discussing Paris is Burning)

   I learned that it was acceptable to be witty, especially if you were one of the wearblackallthetime, deconstructivist, radical, feministbitchydiva girls who could give a harsh read (i.e., critique) or throw shade […].

   2013, bell hooks, Teaching Critical Thinking: Practical Wisdom, →ISBN

5. biochemistryThe identification of a specific sequence of genes in a genome or bases in a nucleic acid string.

1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of read

1. A surname from Old English, a less common spelling variant of Reid.
2. A male given name transferred from the surname.
3. A village and civil parish in Ribble Valley district, Lancashire, England (OS grid ref SD7634).
4. A township in Clayton County, Iowa, United States.
5. A township in Butler County, Nebraska, United States.
6. An unincorporated community in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States.