Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Interpret \In*ter"pret\, v. i.
   To act as an interpreter. --Shak.

Interpret \In*ter"pret\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Interpreted}; p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Interpreting}.] [F. interpr[^e]ter, L.
   interpretari, p. p. interpretatus, fr. interpre? interpeter,
   agent, negotiator; inter between + (prob.) the root of
   pretium price. See {Price}.]
   1. To explain or tell the meaning of; to expound; to
      translate orally into intelligible or familiar language or
      terms; to decipher; to define; -- applied esp. to
      language, but also to dreams, signs, conduct, mysteries,
      etc.; as, to interpret the Hebrew language to an
      Englishman; to interpret an Indian speech.

            Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
                                                  --Matt. i. 23.

            And Pharaoh told them his dreams; but there was none
            that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. --Gen. xli.
                                                  8.

   2. To apprehend and represent by means of art; to show by
      illustrative representation; as, an actor interprets the
      character of Hamlet; a musician interprets a sonata; an
      artist interprets a landscape.

   Syn: To translate; explain; solve; render; expound;
        elucidate; decipher; unfold; unravel.

Source : WordNet®

interpret
     v 1: make sense of; assign a meaning to; "What message do you see
          in this letter?"; "How do you interpret his behavior?"
          [syn: {construe}, {see}]
     2: give an interpretation or explanation to
     3: give an interpretation or rendition of; "The pianist
        rendered the Beethoven sonata beautifully" [syn: {render}]
     4: create an image or likeness of; "The painter represented his
        wife as a young girl" [syn: {represent}]
     5: restate (words) from one language into another language; "I
        have to translate when my in-laws from Austria visit the
        U.S."; "Can you interpret the speech of the visiting
        dignitaries?"; "She rendered the French poem into
        English"; "He translates for the U.N." [syn: {translate},
        {render}]
     6: make sense of a language; "She understands French"; "Can you
        read Greek?" [syn: {understand}, {read}, {translate}]