Comprehend - Definitions from Dictionary.com

7 results for: Comprehend

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

com·pre·hend

Audio Help [kom-pri-hend] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object)

1.	to understand the nature or meaning of; grasp with the mind; perceive: He did not comprehend the significance of the ambassador's remark.

2.	to take in or embrace; include; comprise: The course will comprehend all facets of Japanese culture.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME comprehenden < L comprehendere, equiv. to com- com- + prehendere to grasp; see prehensile

]

—Related forms

com·pre·hend·er, noun

com·pre·hend·ing·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. See know¹. 2. See include.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Comprehend

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

com·pre·hend Audio Help (kŏm'prĭ-hěnd') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. com·pre·hend·ed, com·pre·hend·ing, com·pre·hends

To take in the meaning, nature, or importance of; grasp. See Synonyms at apprehend.
To take in as a part; include. See Synonyms at include.

[Middle English comprehenden, from Latin comprehendere : com-, com- + prehendere, to grasp; see ghend- in Indo-European roots.]

com'pre·hend'i·ble adj., com'pre·hend'ing·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
comprehend

1340, "to grasp with the mind," from L. comprehendere "to grasp, seize," from com- "completely" + prehendere "to catch hold of, seize" (see prehensile). Comprehensive "containing much" is from 1662.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

comprehend
verb
1.	get the meaning of something; "Do you comprehend the meaning of this letter?" [syn: grok]
2.	to become aware of through the senses; "I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon" [syn: perceive]
3.	include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory; "This group encompasses a wide range of people from different backgrounds"; "this should cover everyone in the group" [syn: embrace]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
comprehend1 [kompriˈhend] verb

to understand

Arabic:	يَفْهَم
Chinese (Simplified):	了解，领悟
Chinese (Traditional):	瞭解，領悟
Czech:	chápat
Danish:	forstå; fatte
Dutch:	bevatten
Estonian:	mõistma
Finnish:	ymmärtää
French:	comprendre
German:	begreifen
Greek:	κατανοώ
Hungarian:	megért
Icelandic:	skilja
Indonesian:	mengerti
Italian:	comprendere

Japanese:	理解する
Korean:	이해하다
Latvian:	saprast
Lithuanian:	suprasti, suvokti
Norwegian:	begripe, forstå, fatte
Polish:	rozumieć
Portuguese (Brazil):	compreender
Portuguese (Portugal):	compreender
Romanian:	a înţelege
Russian:	понимать
Slovak:	rozumieť
Slovenian:	razumeti
Spanish:	comprender
Swedish:	fatta, begripa
Turkish:	anlamak

comprehend2 [kompriˈhend] verb

to include

Arabic:	يَشْمَل
Chinese (Simplified):	包含
Chinese (Traditional):	包含
Czech:	obsahovat, zahrnovat
Danish:	omfatte
Dutch:	bevatten
Estonian:	endasse haarama, sisaldama
Finnish:	käsittää, sisältää
French:	comprendre
German:	einschließen
Greek:	περιλαμβάνω
Hungarian:	magába(n) foglal
Icelandic:	fela í sér
Indonesian:	mencakup
Italian:	comprendere

Japanese:	包含する
Korean:	포함하다
Latvian:	aptvert; ietvert
Lithuanian:	apimti, aprėpti
Norwegian:	omfatte, innbefatte
Polish:	zawierać
Portuguese (Brazil):	compreender
Portuguese (Portugal):	incluir
Romanian:	a cuprinde
Russian:	содержать в себе
Slovak:	zahrnúť
Slovenian:	vključevati
Spanish:	comprender
Swedish:	inbegripa, omfatta
Turkish:	içermek, kapsamak

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Comprehend

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]

We have two hands to apprehend it. --Jer. Taylor.

2. Hence: To take or seize (a person) by legal process; to arrest; as, to apprehend a criminal.

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.

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.

The eternal laws, such as the heroic age apprehended them. --Gladstone.

4. To know or learn with certainty. [Obs.]

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.

5. To anticipate; esp., to anticipate with anxiety, dread, or fear; to fear.

The opposition had more reason than the king to apprehend violence. --Macaulay.

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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