READS | English Meaning, Definition, and Pronunciation

Old English rǣdan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch raden and German raten ‘advise, guess’. Early senses included ‘advise’ and ‘interpret (a riddle or dream’) (see rede)

look at and comprehend the meaning of (written or printed matter) by interpreting the characters or symbols of which it is composed

look at and comprehend meaning of written or printed matter

• it's the best novel I've ever read
• I never learned to read music
• I'll go to bed and read for a while

discover (information) by reading it in a written or printed source

discover information by reading it in written or printed source

• he was arrested yesterday—I read it in the paper
• I read about the course in a magazine

inspect and record the figure indicated on (a measuring instrument)

inspect and record figure indicated on

• I've come to read the gas meter

study (an academic subject) at a university

study academic subject at university

• I'm reading English at Cambridge

(of a computer) copy, transfer, or interpret (data)

(of computer) copy, transfer, or interpret

• it attempts to read the disk without regard to its format

present (a bill or other measure) before a legislative assembly

present bill or other measure before legislative assembly

• the bill was accordingly read a second time

hear and understand the words of (someone speaking on a radio transmitter)

hear and understand words of

• ‘Do you read me? Over.’

a period or act of reading something

period or act of reading something

• I was having a quiet read of the newspaper