understand something to be something
understand something to mean something

In medieval Christianity, this was understood to mean that a wife should not share her husband with other wives.

"Equal" is understood by the shoe companies to mean simply the same.

Today the term is usually understood to mean cooking in an oven without liquid.

"Works" is understood to mean students doing well in mathematics and, especially, reading.

This was understood to mean no fish under four inches.

Danger to others is generally understood to mean violence or its threat.

The name can be understood to mean victory of the people.

What the author would have been understood to mean by using those words is not simply a matter of rules.

It is generally understood to mean a geographic area with a corresponding government.

The name is generally understood to mean "one of a double portion".