apprehen

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 ]

n. One who apprehends. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being apprehensible. [ R. ] De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. apprehensibilis. See Apprehend. ] Capable of being apprehended or conceived. “Apprehensible by faith.” Bp. Hall. -- Ap`*pre*hen"si*bly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. apprehensio: cf. F. appréhension. See Apprehend. ] 1. The act of seizing or taking hold of; seizure; as, the hand is an organ of apprehension. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of seizing or taking by legal process; arrest; as, the felon, after his apprehension, escaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of grasping with the intellect; the contemplation of things, without affirming, denying, or passing any judgment; intellection; perception. [ 1913 Webster ]

Simple apprehension denotes no more than the soul's naked intellection of an object. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Opinion; conception; sentiment; idea. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense, the word often denotes a belief, founded on sufficient evidence to give preponderation to the mind, but insufficient to induce certainty; as, in our apprehension, the facts prove the issue. [ 1913 Webster ]

To false, and to be thought false, is all one in respect of men, who act not according to truth, but apprehension. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The faculty by which ideas are conceived; understanding; as, a man of dull apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Anticipation, mostly of things unfavorable; distrust or fear at the prospect of future evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

After the death of his nephew Caligula, Claudius was in no small apprehension for his own life. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Apprehension, Alarm. Apprehension springs from a sense of danger when somewhat remote, but approaching; alarm arises from danger when announced as near at hand. Apprehension is calmer and more permanent; alarm is more agitating and transient. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. appréhensif. See Apprehend. ] 1. Capable of apprehending, or quick to do so; apt; discerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

It may be pardonable to imagine that a friend, a kind and apprehensive . . . friend, is listening to our talk. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Knowing; conscious; cognizant. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A man that has spent his younger years in vanity and folly, and is, by the grace of God, apprehensive of it. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Relating to the faculty of apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

Judgment . . . is implied in every apprehensive act. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Anticipative of something unfavorable' fearful of what may be coming; in dread of possible harm; in expectation of evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not at all apprehensive of evils as a distance. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Reformers . . . apprehensive for their lives. Gladstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Sensible; feeling; perceptive. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thoughts, my tormentors, armed with deadly stings,
Mangle my apprehensive, tenderest parts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an apprehensive manner; with apprehension of danger. [ 1913 Webster ]