From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgive somebody to understand (that)give somebody to understand (that)formalTELL to make someone believe that something is true, going to happen etc, without telling them this directly I was given to understand that the property was in good condition. → understand
Examples from the Corpus
give somebody to understand (that)• He gave up trying to understand it and vowed to harden himself more.• A parting sniff as she left the room gave the gentleman to understand that he had disappointed her.• She gave him to understand that her city was his as well as she herself.• Although I received no official indication, I was given to understand that I would be promoted within a year.• He gave me to understand that the bamboo beetle would soon be killed off by the sea air.• A friend of your daughter's gave us to understand that you lived in Michigan.• Colonel Fergusson had long since given up trying to understand the business.• Sergeant Bramble and Constable Quince very quickly gave up trying to understand what it was that the experts were looking for. 