To study is to commit yourself to learn something. There are many different ways to study, and some of those methods are much more effective than others.

According to the website WordIQ, the word comes from the Latin studium, which means "to devote oneself." If you want to use that definition, then studying means a lot more than just cramming the night before. It means making a conscious decision to learn something on a deeper level.

According to the dictionary, studying means "the devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge."  In other words, study is the time we spend learning or attempting to learn a particular subject.  This might be a time we enjoy or it might be something we force ourselves to do.  Study is the attempt to understand an academic subject.  Often, we study the areas we enjoy even when they are not needed for academic purposes.  Studying is purposeful and intentional.  It is time dedicated to a particular pursuit.

To me, studying something means that I try to internalize it, or make it a part of my knowledge base.  The intensity of my study determines the length and depth of that internalization.  I often learn when I am not studying, but when I study I am making a concerted effort master the information.

To me, it means to attempt to try to learn more about a given subject.  When you study for a test, you are trying to learn material that you do not yet know well.  When someone does a study about a given topic (like a study on why China is having so much economic success), they are trying to learn more about it.