construe
to interpret or understand in a particular way
Roots
- com-: with, together, complete, or intensified
- stru / struct: build, arrange, heap, or fit together
Other words with the stru / struct root
- structure: the way parts are built or arranged
To construe is to build an interpretation from the pieces in front of you.
The committee construed the rule narrowly and rejected the appeal.
The spelling hides the structure a little. Keep structure nearby: when you construe a sentence, action, or rule, you arrange its parts into a meaning.