apprehend JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/ˌæp.rɪˈhɛnd/ · ap·pre·hend
verb
- To take or seize; to take hold of physically. The police were authorized to apprehend the suspect as he fled the scene.
- To grasp mentally; to understand or become aware of something. After the lecture, she finally apprehended the complex theory of relativity.
- To anticipate with anxiety, dread, or fear. He began to apprehend the consequences of his reckless decision.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The word ‘apprehend’ appears in Shakespeare’s *The Tempest* (Act I, Scene 2), where Prospero says, “I have with such provision in my mind / Already to apprehend the spirit.” Its shift from a purely physical ‘seize’ to a mental ‘grasp’ mirrors the evolution of many legal and philosophical terms.