Verb

ab|lesen

Translation

to read (from a display), to read aloud, to gather (from), to lip-read

Bitte lesen Sie den Zählerstand ab.

Please read the meter.

Der Redner liest seinen Text vom Blatt ab.

The speaker is reading his text from the sheet.

Man kann an seinem Gesicht ablesen, wie er sich fühlt.

You can read from his face how he feels.

Gehörlose können oft von den Lippen ablesen.

Deaf people can often read lips.

((sth.)) ((from sth.)) to read sth. from sth. He reads the data from the screen.

((sth.)) from sb.'s lips to lip-read sth. from sb. She can read his every wish from his lips.

vorlesen (to read out), entziffern (to decipher)

Composed of 'ab-' (off, from) and 'lesen' (to read). It means to 'read off' of a source.

Picture reading data *from* a screen or a gauge. The 'ab-' signifies the separation of information from its source.