Nearby Words

Fathomer

[fath-uhm] Origin

fath·om

[fath-uhm] noun, plural fath·oms, (especially collectively) fath·om, verb
noun
1.
a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 meters): used chiefly in nautical measurements. Abbreviation: fath
verb (used with object)
2.
to measure the depth of by means of a sounding line; sound.
3.
to penetrate to the truth of; comprehend; understand: to fathom someone's motives.

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Fathomer is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English fathme, Old English fæthm span of outstretched arms; cognate with German Faden six-foot measure, Old Norse fathmr; akin to patent

fath·om·a·ble, adjective
fath·om·er, noun
un·fath·om·a·ble, adjective
un·fath·omed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To Fathomer
Collins
World English Dictionary
fathom (ˈfæðəm)
 
n
1.  a unit of length equal to six feet (1.829 metres), used to measure depths of water
2.  mining a unit of volume usually equal to six cubic feet, used in measuring ore bodies
3.  forestry a unit of volume equal to six cubic feet, used for measuring timber
 
vb
4.  to measure the depth of, esp with a sounding line; sound
5.  to penetrate (a mystery, problem, etc); discover the meaning of
 
[Old English fæthm; related to Old Frisian fethem outstretched arms, Old Norse fathmr embrace, Old High German fadum cubit, Latin patēre to gape]
 
'fathomable
 
adj
 
'fathomer
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

fathom
O.E. fæðm "length of the outstretched arm" (a measure of about six feet), also "arms, grasp," and, figuratively "power," from P.Gmc. *fathmaz "embrace" (cf. O.N. faðmr "embrace, bosom," O.S. fathmos "the outstretched arms," Du. vadem "a measure of six feet"), from PIE *pot-/*pet- denoting
EXPAND
"stretching out" (cf. Gk. petalon "leaf," L. patere "to be open"). The verb meaning of "take soundings" is c.1600; its figurative sense of "get to the bottom of, understand" is 1620s. Related: Fathomed; fathoming.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature