Main Entry:

ap·pre·hend

Pronunciation:

\ˌa-pri-ˈhend\

Function:

verb

Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin apprehendere, literally, to seize, from ad- + prehendere to seize — more at get

Date:

15th century

transitive verb1: arrest, seize <apprehend a thief>2 a: to become aware of : perceive b: to anticipate especially with anxiety, dread, or fear3: to grasp with the understanding : recognize the meaning ofintransitive verb: understand, grasp