apprehend

apprehend
apprehend (v.) mid-14c., "to grasp in the senses or mind," from O.Fr. aprendre (12c.) "teach; learn; take, grasp; acquire," or directly from L. apprehendere "to take hold of, grasp," from ad- "to" + prehendere "to seize" (see PREHENSILE (Cf. prehensile)). Metaphoric extension to "seize with the mind" took place in Latin, and was the sole sense of cognate O.Fr. aprendre (Mod.Fr. apprendre "to learn, to be informed about;" also Cf. APPRENTICE (Cf. apprentice)). Original sense returned in English in meaning "to seize in the name of the law, arrest," recorded from 1540s, which use probably was taken directly from Latin. Related: Apprehended; apprehending.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Apprehend — Ap pre*hend ([a^]p pr[ e]*h[e^]nd ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Apprehended}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Apprehending}.] [L. apprehendere; ad + prehendere to lay hold of, seize; prae before + hendere (used only in comp.); akin to Gr. chanda nein to hold, contain …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • apprehend — 1 *arrest, detain, attach Analogous words: seize, *take: capture, *catch Contrasted words: release, discharge, liberate, *free 2 Apprehend, comprehend mean to lay hold of something with the mind so as to know it but together …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • apprehend — apprehend, comprehend In the meanings in which they overlap, these two words denote slightly different aspects of understanding. Apprehend means to grasp or perceive a general idea or concept, whereas comprehend means to understand an argument or …   Modern English usage

  • Apprehend — Ap pre*hend , v. i. 1. To think, believe, or be of opinion; to understand; to suppose. [1913 Webster] 2. To be apprehensive; to fear. [1913 Webster] It is worse to apprehend than to suffer. Rowe. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • apprehend — ap·pre·hend /ˌa prə hend/ vt [Latin apprehendere to seize, arrest, from ad to + prehendere to seize]: arrest Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • apprehend — [v1] catch and arrest bag*, bust*, capture, collar, cop*, grab, nab, nail*, place under arrest, run in, seize, take in, take into custody, take prisoner; concepts 90,191,317 Ant. lose, not catch apprehend [v2] understand absorb, accept,… …   New thesaurus

  • apprehend — ► VERB 1) intercept in the course of unlawful or wrongful action. 2) seize or arrest. 3) understand; perceive. 4) archaic anticipate with fear or unease. ORIGIN Latin apprehendere, from prehendere lay hold of …   English terms dictionary

  • apprehend — [ap΄rē hend′, ap΄rihend′] vt. [ME apprehenden < LL apprehendere, to understand < L, to take hold of < ad , to + prehendere: see PREHENSILE] 1. to take into custody; capture or arrest 2. to take hold of mentally; perceive; understand 3.… …   English World dictionary

  • apprehend — ap|pre|hend [ˌæprıˈhend] v [T] [Date: 1300 1400; : Latin; Origin: apprehendere to take hold of , from ad to + prehendere to seize ] 1.) formal if the police apprehend a criminal, they catch him or her = ↑arrest ▪ The police have failed to… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • apprehend — [[t]æ̱prɪhe̱nd[/t]] apprehends, apprehending, apprehended 1) VERB If the police apprehend someone, they catch them and arrest them. [FORMAL] [V n] Police have not apprehended her killer. Syn: catch 2) VERB If you apprehend something, you… …   English dictionary

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