apprehend

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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 statement. Both can be followed by a simple object or by a that-clause. Examples: (apprehend)

She drew a breath, long enough to apprehend that he was about to step from one world into another—Iris Murdoch, 1962

As the mind apprehends and tries to make sense of the world, it develops ever-richer and more sophisticated concepts—J. Wolff, 2003

(comprehend) Speak more slowly so that we can comprehend everything you say—Bernard Malamud, 1966

Some people find it hard to comprehend how we can love and adore a being whom we also 'fear' at the very same time—Evangelical Times, 2005.

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verb

1. To take into custody as a prisoner: arrest, seize. Informal nab, pick up. Slang bust, collar, pinch, run in. See law.
2. To perceive directly with the intellect: compass, comprehend, fathom, grasp, know, understand. Scots ken. See knowledge/ignorance.
3. To perceive and recognize the meaning of: accept, catch (on), compass, comprehend, conceive, fathom, follow, get, grasp, make out, read, see, sense, take, take in, understand. Informal savvy. Slang dig. Chiefly British twig. Scots ken. Idioms: gethavea handle on, get the picture. See understand/misunderstand.
4. To be intuitively aware of: feel, intuit, perceive, sense. Idioms: feel in one's bones, get vibrations. See knowledge/ignorance.

v

Definition: catch and arrest
Antonyms: lose, not catch

v

Definition: understand
Antonyms: misunderstand

IN BRIEF: To capture or arrest.

Detective Lewis went out to apprehend the robbery suspect.

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apprehend
verb   (in South Asia) to await (something) with fear

The police say that there is no evidence that links this family to the case. However, the girl's relatives have disappeared, apprehending police crackdown (The Tribune)

Although this sense of the word has fallen out of use in other forms of English around the world, it's still alive and well in India and Pakistan.

Previous:	apna, anvil, antakshari
Next:	arre, asli, auto

For a list of words related to apprehend, see:

• Knowledge and Understanding - apprehend: understand, perceive
• Police Procedures and Detection - apprehend: (vb) catch suspect or criminal

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See words rhyming with "apprehend."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Apprehend.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - pågribe, anholde
v. intr. - forstå, begribe, erkende

Nederlands (Dutch)
aanhouden, begrijpen, vrezen

Français (French)
v. tr. - appréhender, arrêter, redouter
v. intr. - concevoir, comprendre

Deutsch (German)
v. - begreifen, erfassen, verhaften, festnehmen, vorausahnen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - συλλαμβάνω, πιάνω, αντιλαμβάνομαι, καταλαβαίνω

Italiano (Italian)
afferrare, arrestare, catturare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - compreender, temer, prender, deter

Русский (Russian)
понимать, предчувствовать, опасаться, арестовывать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - comprender, captar, entender, detener, arrestar
v. intr. - captarse

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - anhålla, uppfatta, befara

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
忧虑, 逮捕, 理解, 担忧, 领会

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 憂慮, 逮捕, 理解
v. intr. - 擔憂, 領會, 理解

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 을 체포하다, 염려하다, 이해하다
v. intr. - 이해하다, 우려하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 逮捕する, 感づく, 意味をとらえる, 懸念する, 悟る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يعتقل, يقبض على‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮חשש, תפס, עצר, אסר, הבין, חרד לבאות‬
v. intr. - ‮חשש, הבין‬

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