given to understand

give (one) to understand

To cause one to understand or believe something. Why should I worry? The boss has never given me to understand that she's displeased with my work. What did Mom say that gave you to understand we'd have something fun for dinner? I'm pretty sure she made meatloaf. I was nice to him, and that gave him to understand I was romantically interested, apparently.

See also: give, to, understand

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

given to understand

[of someone] made to believe [something]. (See also give someone to understand.) They were given to understand that there would be no tax increase, but after the election taxes went up. She was given to understand that she had to be home by midnight.

See also: given, to, understand

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.