Sentence:  But by week 's end the Laotian cry of invasion was <WSD>read</WSD> as an exaggeration ( see Foreign News ) , and the U. S. was agreeing with its cautious British and French allies that a neutralist - rather than a pro-Western - government might be best for Laos . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  interpret something in a certain way; convey a particular meaning or impression