apprehend

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. appréhender. See Prehensile, Get. ] 1. To take or seize; to take hold of. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We have two hands to apprehend it. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: To take or seize (a person) by legal process; to arrest; as, to apprehend a criminal. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The eternal laws, such as the heroic age apprehended them. Gladstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To know or learn with certainty. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To anticipate; esp., to anticipate with anxiety, dread, or fear; to fear. [ 1913 Webster ]

The opposition had more reason than the king to apprehend violence. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To catch; seize; arrest; detain; capture; conceive; understand; imagine; believe; fear; dread. -- 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. [ 1913 Webster ]