apprehend
[ap-ri-hend]
- 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
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for apprehend
Contemporary Examples
Somebody yanks Chan and elbows him and he is momentarily distracted trying to apprehend his assailant.
In the script I worked on, a man pursues a woman in order to apprehend her husband.
As the OSS pieced together the Operation Bernhard network, it made plans to apprehend those participants not already in custody.
Boya Dee live-tweeted the moments after the attack when police arrived to apprehend the suspects—injuring both.
Finally, even if the court did decide to pursue charges, it would be unable to apprehend wanted suspects.
Historical Examples
And well might they apprehend so:—For who do you think he is?
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
Nor let any one apprehend that this subject can ever become trite and vulgar.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
"Much the same, I apprehend, as to the rich," answered M'Leod.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
Manifest no distrust, or you may invite the danger you appear to apprehend.
The Last of the MohicansJames Fenimore Cooper
If it be for what I apprehend it to be, life will not be supportable upon the terms.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
apprehend
- (tr) to arrest and escort into custody; seize
- to perceive or grasp mentally; understand
- (tr) to await with fear or anxiety; dread
Word Origin
C14: from Latin apprehendere to lay hold of
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for apprehend
v.
mid-14c., "to grasp in the senses or mind," from Old French aprendre (12c.) "teach; learn; take, grasp; acquire," or directly from Latin apprehendere "to take hold of, grasp," from ad- "to" + prehendere "to seize" (see prehensile). Metaphoric extension to "seize with the mind" took place in Latin, and was the sole sense of cognate Old French aprendre (Modern French apprendre "to learn, to be informed about;" also cf. apprentice). Original sense returned in English in meaning "to seize in the name of the law, arrest," recorded from 1540s, which use probably was taken directly from Latin. Related: Apprehended; apprehending.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper