apprehend
to take into custody; arrest by legal warrant or authority: The police apprehended the burglars.
to grasp the meaning of; understand, especially intuitively; perceive.
to expect with anxiety, suspicion, or fear; anticipate: apprehending violence.
to understand.
to be apprehensive, suspicious, or fearful; fear.
Origin of apprehend
1Other words from apprehend
- ap·pre·hend·er, noun
- re·ap·pre·hend, verb
- un·ap·pre·hend·ed, adjective
- un·ap·pre·hend·ing, adjective
Words that may be confused with apprehend
- apprehend , comprehend
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use apprehend in a sentence
Even native classics have to be reapprehended by every reader.
Three Philosophical Poets | George Santayana
British Dictionary definitions for apprehend
/ (ˌæprɪˈhɛnd) /
(tr) to arrest and escort into custody; seize
to perceive or grasp mentally; understand
(tr) to await with fear or anxiety; dread
Origin of apprehend
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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