reading
noun
the action or practice of a person who reads.
Showing results for "reading"
- present participle of read.
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Slang dictionary results for reading.
reading
1 American
[ree-ding]
/ ˈri dɪŋ /
noun
readings
plural
-
the action or practice of a person who reads.
-
Speech. the oral interpretation of written language.
-
the interpretation given in the performance of a dramatic part, musical composition, etc..
an interesting reading of Beethoven's 5th Symphony.
-
the extent to which a person has read; literary knowledge.
a man of wide reading.
-
matter read or for reading.
a novel that makes good reading.
-
the form or version of a given passage in a particular text.
the various readings of a line in Shakespeare.
-
an instance or occasion in which a text or other matter is read or performed, usually without elaborate preparation and often as a means of testing its merits.
The playwright wants to have a reading of the play for prospective producers.
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an interpretation given to anything.
What is your reading of the situation?
-
the indication of a graduated instrument.
The reading is 101.2°F.
adjective
-
pertaining to or used for reading.
reading glasses.
-
given to reading.
the reading public.
Reading
2
American
[red-ing]
/ ˈrɛd ɪŋ /
noun
-
Rufus Daniel Isaacs, 1st Marquis of, 1860–1935, Lord Chief Justice of England 1913–21; viceroy of India 1921–26.
-
a city in Berkshire, in S England.
-
a city in SE Pennsylvania.
-
a town in E Massachusetts, near Boston.
-
a city in SW Ohio.
reading
1
British
/ ˈriːdɪŋ /
noun
-
-
the act of a person who reads
-
( as modifier )
a reading room
a reading lamp
-
-
-
ability to read
-
( as modifier )
the reading public
a child of reading age
-
-
any matter that can be read; written or printed text
-
a public recital or rendering of a literary work
-
the form of a particular word or passage in a given text, esp where more than one version exists
-
an interpretation, as of a piece of music, a situation, or something said or written
-
knowledge gained from books
a person of little reading
-
a measurement indicated by a gauge, dial, scientific instrument, etc
-
parliamentary procedure
-
the formal recital of the body or title of a bill in a legislative assembly in order to begin one of the stages of its passage
-
one of the three stages in the passage of a bill through a legislative assembly See first reading second reading third reading
-
-
the formal recital of something written, esp a will
Reading
2
British
/ ˈrɛdɪŋ /
noun
-
a town in S England, in Reading unitary authority, Berkshire, on the River Thames: university (1892). Pop: 232 662 (2001)
-
a unitary authority in S England, in Berkshire. Pop: 144 100 (2003 est). Area: 37 sq km (14 sq miles)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of reading
First recorded before 900; Middle English redyng (gerund), Old English rǣdinge; see read 1, -ing 1, -ing 2
Explanation
You can use the noun reading for something you read and also the act of interpreting or understanding it. Your favorite reading might be science fiction — if you're a true fan, you spend hours reading it daily. There are many closely-related definitions of reading, from a live performance like a poetry reading or a minister's Bible reading, to an individual interpretation of written material, like your feminist reading of classic fairy tales. Meter readers also take readings, or measurements: "The readingshowed that we used much more electricity last month." There are, in addition, several towns in the UK and the US called Reading, but those are usually pronounced redding.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Continued Interest in reading has driven trends and buoyed an industry.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
A banner reading “Happy Birthday Bill!” hung over a potluck buffet of plastic trays and slow cookers, with the aforementioned Bill and his family and friends all clearly enjoying retirement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Penguin’s reissue makes a persuasive case for returning to these four novels, and for reading them together.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
She argued that the defendants were already aware of the accusations against them and therefore formal reading was not required.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
So I close my eyes and picture Jonah leaving the mailbox in the treehouse to be rid of it forever, reading the horrible thing he read on that list, running with Cassie instead of me.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
It said the decision to remove the stage at Reading had been made purely by Festival Republic, and that it was exploring how BBC Introducing could work with the event in future.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Tommy Longhurst, lead singer of Reading band Only the Poets, said the move was "sad news" for young musicians.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Reading “The Wilder Way” might not overhaul your life, but it will surely help you see how easily a fuller one can be had.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
Co-author Dr. Charlotte Mills, University of Reading, explained that the findings point to new ways of improving how the body processes nitrate without relying on long-term sugar consumption.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
Tense, clock-ticking music throbbed out of the Rotunda Reading Room’s hidden speakers.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
But continued high volatility readings for the sector warn that it’s still too soon to confidently buy the dip.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
The upper Midwest that's closer to the fires was especially affected, with parts of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin all recording air quality readings deep into the "hazardous" range for days.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
There are 100 feasible readings of Żuławski’s film, and just when those all seem to make sense, you could conjure up a 101st.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
It is important to take meter readings, so you get charged the correct amount by your old and new supplier.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Quentyn’s readings had suggested that the same thing had occurred in the Seven Kingdoms.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.