prehension
Americannoun
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the act of seizing or grasping.
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mental apprehension.
noun
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the act of grasping
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apprehension by the senses or the mind
Etymology
Origin of prehension
1525–35; < Latin prehēnsiōn- (stem of prehēnsiō ) a taking hold, equivalent to prehēns ( us ) (past participle of prehendere to seize, equivalent to pre- pre- + -hendere to grasp; akin to get ) + -iōn- -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But public ap prehension about the possible dangers of chemical insect killers is now shielding the hungry worms from DDT and other long-lasting poisons.
From Time Magazine Archive
But last week Philadelphia's Dr. William Likoff somberly warned the AHA that the "mild coronary" may have more cause for ap prehension than for gratitude.
From Time Magazine Archive
Ancient modes of locomotion, prehension, balancing, defense, attack, sensuality, etc., are all rehearsed, some quite fully and some only by the faintest mimetic suggestion, flitting spasmodic tensions, gestures, or facial expressions.
From Introduction to the Science of Sociology by Park, Robert Ezra
Deformity.—There is a deformity, known as parrot-mouth, that interferes with prehension, mastication, and, indirectly, with digestion.
From Special Report on Diseases of the Horse by Michener, Charles B.
The trophi serve merely for the prehension of prey, and not for mastication.
From A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia With Figures of all the Species. by Darwin, Charles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
