apprehend

ap·pre·hend

verb \ˌa-pri-ˈhend\

Definition of APPREHEND

transitive verb

1

: arrest, seize <apprehend a thief>

2

a : to become aware of : perceive b : to anticipate especially with anxiety, dread, or fear

3

: to grasp with the understanding : recognize the meaning of

intransitive verb

: understand, grasp

Examples of APPREHEND

1. Within hours, police had apprehended the thief.
2. subtle differences that are difficult to apprehend

Origin of APPREHEND

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

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to APPREHEND

Synonyms: appreciate, comprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand

Antonyms: miss

Related Words: absorb, digest, take in; realize; fathom, penetrate, pierce

Near Antonyms: misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with APPREHEND

bitter end, business end, comprehend, condescend, discommend, dividend, in the end, minuend, on the mend, open-end, overspend, recommend, repetend, reprehend, subtrahend, vilipend