n. [ L. constructio: cf. F. construction. ] 1. The process or art of constructing; the act of building; erection; the act of devising and forming; fabrication; composition. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The form or manner of building or putting together the parts of anything; structure; arrangement. [ 1913 Webster ]

An astrolabe of peculiar construction. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Gram.) The arrangement and connection of words in a sentence; syntactical arrangement. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some particles . . . in certain constructions have the sense of a whole sentence contained in them. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The method of construing, interpreting, or explaining a declaration or fact; an attributed sense or meaning; understanding; explanation; interpretation; sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

Any person . . . might, by the sort of construction that would be put on this act, become liable to the penalties of treason. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

Strictly, the term [ construction ] signifies determining the meaning and proper effect of language by a consideration of the subject matter and attendant circumstances in connection with the words employed. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Interpretation properly precedes construction, but it does not go beyond the written text. Parsons. [ 1913 Webster ]

Construction of an equation (Math.), the drawing of such lines and figures as will represent geometrically the quantities in the equation, and their relations to each other. --
Construction train (Railroad), a train for transporting men and materials for construction or repairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or deduced from, construction or interpretation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who puts a certain construction upon some writing or instrument, as the Constitutions of the United States; as, a strict constructionist; a broad constructionist. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A philosophical theory of criticism (usually of literature or film) that seeks to expose deep-seated contradictions in a work by delving below its surface meaning. This method questions the ability of language to represent a fixed reality, and proposes that a text has no stable meaning because words only refer to other words, that metaphysical or ethnocentric assumptions about the meaning of words must be questioned, and words may be redefined in new contexts and new, equally valid and even contradictory meanings may be found. Such new interpretations may be based on the philosophical, political, or social implications of the words of a text, rather than solely on attempts to determine the author's intentions. RHUD MW10
Syn. -- deconstructionism. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. the process of criticising or interpreting a text by the method of deconstruction{ 1 }. [ PJC ]

n. Same as decontruction{ 1 }.
Syn. -- deconstruction. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. Of or pertaining to deconstruction or deconstructionism; as, deconstructionist criticism. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Erroneous construction; wrong interpretation. Bp. Stillingfleet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of constructing again; the state of being reconstructed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (U.S. Politics) The act or process of reorganizing the governments of the States which had passed ordinances of secession, and of reestablishing their constitutional relations to the national government, after the close of the Civil War. [ 1913 Webster ]