Apprehending

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, and E. get: cf. F.
   appr['e]hender. See {Prehensile}, {Get}.]
   1. To take or seize; to take hold of. [Archaic]
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            We have two hands to apprehend it.    --Jer. Taylor.
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   2. Hence: To take or seize (a person) by legal process; to
      arrest; as, to apprehend a criminal.
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   3. To take hold of with the understanding, that is, to
      conceive in the mind; to become cognizant of; to
      understand; to recognize; to consider.
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            This suspicion of Earl Reimund, though at first but
            a buzz, soon got a sting in the king's head, and he
            violently apprehended it.             --Fuller.
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            The eternal laws, such as the heroic age apprehended
            them.                                 --Gladstone.
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   4. To know or learn with certainty. [Obs.]
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            G. You are too much distrustful of my truth.
            E. Then you must give me leave to apprehend
            The means and manner how.             --Beau. & Fl.
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   5. To anticipate; esp., to anticipate with anxiety, dread, or
      fear; to fear.
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            The opposition had more reason than the king to
            apprehend violence.                   --Macaulay.
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   Syn: To catch; seize; arrest; detain; capture; conceive;
        understand; imagine; believe; fear; dread.

   Usage: To {Apprehend}, {Comprehend}. These words come into
          comparison as describing acts of the mind. Apprehend
          denotes the laying hold of a thing mentally, so as to
          understand it clearly, at least in part. Comprehend
          denotes the embracing or understanding it in all its
          compass and extent. We may apprehended many truths
          which we do not comprehend. The very idea of God
          supposes that he may be apprehended, though not
          comprehended, by rational beings. "We may apprehended
          much of Shakespeare's aim and intention in the
          character of Hamlet or King Lear; but few will claim
          that they have comprehended all that is embraced in
          these characters." --Trench.
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