Read: to look at words or symbols and understand what they mean: He spent a pleasant afternoon reading (the newspaper/a book). I read about the family's success in the local paper. It was too dark to read our map and we took a wrong turning. Can you read music? Your handwriting is so untidy I can't read it. [ + (that) ] I've read in the newspapers (that) there is a threat of war. Put your plastic card in the slot, and the machine will read it and identify who you are. Some children can read (= have learned the skill of reading) by the age of four.