appearing or developing early; "precocious flowers appear before the leaves as in some species of magnolias"
characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude); "a precocious child"; "a precocious achievement"
a book in the Old Testament that tells the story of Jonah and the whale
a person believed to bring bad luck to those around him
(Old Testament) Jonah did not wish to become a prophet so God caused a great storm to throw him overboard from a ship; he was saved by being swallowed by a whale that vomited him out onto dry land
not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination; "sometimes taking an indirect path saves time"; "you must take an indirect course in sailing"
extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behavior or action; "making indirect but legitimate inquiries"; "an indirect insult"; "doubtless they had some indirect purpose in mind"; "though his methods are indirect they are not dishonest"; "known as a shady indirect fellow"
having intervening factors or persons or influences; "reflection from the ceiling provided a soft indirect light"; "indirect evidence"; "an indirect cause"
not as a direct effect or consequence; "indirect benefits"; "an indirect advantage"
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of; "She did not understand her husband"; "I understand what she means"
perceive (an idea or situation) mentally; "Now I see!"; "I just can't see your point"; "Does she realize how important this decision is?"; "I don't understand the idea"
believe to be the case; "I understand you have no previous experience?"
make sense of a language; "She understands French"; "Can you read Greek?"
something that is read; "the article was a very good read"
to hear and understand; "I read you loud and clear!"
interpret something that is written or printed; "read the advertisement"; "Have you read Salman Rushdie?"
look at, interpret, and say out loud something that is written or printed; "The King will read the proclamation at noon"
interpret the significance of, as of palms, tea leaves, intestines, the sky; also of human behavior; "She read the sky and predicted rain"; "I can't read his strange behavior"; "The fortune teller read his fate in the crystal ball"
obtain data from magnetic tapes; "This dictionary can be read by the computer"
indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments; "The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero"; "The gauge read `empty'"
audition for a stage role by reading parts of a role; "He is auditioning for `Julius Caesar' at Stratford this year"
have or contain a certain wording or form; "The passage reads as follows"; "What does the law say?"