1 a : to look at and understand the meaning of letters, words, symbols, etc. [no obj] ▪ She learned to read at a very early age. [+ obj] ▪ Can you read decimals/music/Braille? ▪ I can't read your handwriting. ▪ He claimed that he could read my palm. [=look at the lines on the palm of my hand and tell me what was going to happen to me in the future]
b : to read the words of (a book, magazine, etc.) [+ obj] ▪ He likes reading the newspaper. ▪ She reads a lot of mystery novels. ▪ We will be reading (works by) Milton in the class. ▪ She starts work every day by reading her e-mail. ▪ Didn't you read the instructions? [no obj] ▪ He likes to read. ▪ She doesn't read much. ▪ Please read from Chapter 5 through Chapter 10.
c : to speak aloud the words of (something written) [+ obj] ▪ He read the poem aloud. ▪ The teacher read a story to us. = The teacher read us a story. ▪ He wrote down the address I gave him and read it back to me. [no obj] ▪ Her mother read to her every night at bedtime. — see also read out (below) 2 : to learn information about something from a book, newspaper, etc. [no obj] — often + about ▪ I read about the fire in the newspaper. — sometimes + of ▪ I have read of such things happening elsewhere. [+ obj] — + that ▪ I read somewhere that he's making a new movie. ▪ I read that they got married. 3 [+ obj] a : to learn information about (someone) by looking at how that person behaves
▪ I can't read her—I'm not sure if she likes me or not. ▪ You're an easy person to read.
b : to learn information about (something) by looking at particular characteristics
▪ A good canoeist can read the rapids. ▪ (golf) She missed the putt because she didn't read the green correctly. ▪ (American football) The quarterback read the defense correctly. 4 [+ obj] : to understand (something) in a particular way
▪ The way I read it, we're supposed to show up at 3 p.m. ▪ The situation is hard to read. [=interpret] — often + as ▪ I read his actions as a cry for help. 5 [+ obj] a : to show (words) for someone to read
▪ The sign reads [=says] “No Trespassing.”
b : to show (a temperature, weight, number, etc.)
▪ The thermometer reads 90 degrees. ▪ The clock read 4:30. 6 [no obj] : to be written in a particular way
▪ The definition reads awkwardly. [=the definition is awkwardly written] ▪ This essay will read better if you reorganize it. ▪ The speech reads well. [=the speech is written well] ▪ The first chapters read like a lecture. 7 [+ obj] : to get information from (something)
▪ Someone reads the water meter once a month. ▪ A scanner reads the bar codes on packages. ▪ The computer can't read that disk. 8 [+ obj] : to hear and understand (someone) over a radio
▪ Can you read me now? ▪ I read you loud and clear. 9 [+ obj] : to replace (a word or number) with another word or number — used to indicate how something written or said should be changed or corrected ▪ In the second problem, read 5 instead of 3. [=the number should be 5, not 3] 10 Brit : to study (a subject) especially at a university [+ obj] ▪ He read history at Oxford. [no obj] — often + for ▪ She is reading for a business degree.