to look at written or printed words and understand their meaning
Maria learned to read her first storybook at age five.
On the beach, Liam loves to read while listening to the waves.
✦ Old English “rǣdan”, meaning ‘to advise, interpret, read’, from Proto-Germanic *raidijan.
present participle of read
She is reading a mystery novel on the train.
The students were reading quietly in the library.
to say written words aloud so that others can hear them
The teacher asked Noah to read the poem to the class.
During bedtime, Dad read a fairy tale to his daughter.
to understand or interpret information from signs, instruments, gestures, or situations
I can't read this map; we're lost.
The nurse read the thermometer and smiled.
an act or period of reading, or something that is enjoyable to read
I like a quiet read before bed.
The article is an interesting read about space travel.
finished and available for immediate use, eating, or action
Dinner is ready—come to the table!
Your report will be ready by tomorrow morning.
a person who reads books, newspapers, or other written material, especially habitually or for pleasure
The little girl is already an eager reader who finishes a book every week.
The city library rewards every young reader with a sticker when they finish a book.
willingly and without hesitation or reluctance
Maria readily volunteered to babysit her neighbors’ children.
He readily admitted that he had made a mistake.
before now or earlier than expected, often by the time being talked about
I have already finished my homework, so I can watch TV.
Spring has already arrived, and the garden is full of flowers.
✦ Formed from the Middle English phrase “all ready,” originally meaning “fully prepared,” which gradually shifted to the modern sense of “before now.”
a series of connected messages on an online forum, social media site, or email chain dealing with one topic
She started a new thread about travel tips on the forum.
The question was answered further down in the thread.
✦ Adopted by computer forums in the late 1980s, likening linked messages to a single strand.
