de‧ci‧pher/dɪˈsaɪfə $ -ər/ verb[TRANSITIVE] 1. to find the meaning of something that is difficult to read or understand ⇨ indecipherable: ▪ She studied the envelope, trying to decipher the handwriting.
2. to change a message written in a code into ordinary language so that you can read it SYN decode
—decipherment noun[UNCOUNTABLE]
verb COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES decipher a codeformal (= break one) ▪ His job involved deciphering the codes used by the enemy. COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS NOUN code ▪ Something that, once he had deciphered the code, would explain why Professor Max Flaschner was dead. ▪ He was the Einstein of the hound kingdom-able to decipher morse code. ▪ He had an inkling he was the only one who could decipher the code. VERB try ▪ The more you try to decipher the more confusing it becomes. ▪ He stared hard at pictures held out to him, trying to decipher their language. ▪ Its use of mutation and chance seems to occur within restraints; within an algorithm that we are still trying to decipher. EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES ▪ Illiterate people may be able to recognize and decipher signs. EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS ▪ For Adorno, then, the meaning of musical works is immanent; our role is to decipher it. ▪ From then on the Chamber began following closely each development as the messages were in turn deciphered and translated. ▪ It means that it has fewer aural clues from which to decipher the sense. ▪ Much of our SleepTight tryout was spent deciphering directions. ▪ She couldn't decipher it in the pitch black. ▪ Those Hansard writers could decipher the Rosetta stone in their spare time. ▪ What such discoveries mean is that scientists are deciphering what seems to be a fundamental weight-control system in the body. ▪ Would you like me to decipher a Rorschach for you?
de‧ci‧pher/dɪˈsaɪfə $ -ər/ verb [TRANSITIVE] 