Apprehend
/ˌæprɪˈhɛnd/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo seize; to grasp mentally; to understand.
/ˌæprɪˈhɛnd/
To understand or grasp mentally
She apprehended the meaning of the poem.
💡 Simply: To understand something
More Examples
He failed to apprehend the seriousness of the situation.
How It's Used
"I struggled to apprehend the complex philosophical argument."
"The students found it difficult to apprehend the new concepts."
To arrest; to seize.
/ˌæprɪˈhɛnd/
To arrest or seize (a person)
The police apprehended the thief red-handed.
💡 Simply: To catch someone who has done something wrong.
More Examples
They were apprehended trying to cross the border illegally.
How It's Used
"The police apprehended the suspect after a chase."
From Middle English *apprehenden*, from Old French *appréhender*, from Latin *apprehendere*, from *ad-* + *prehendere* "to seize, grasp"
Historically, 'apprehend' was used more frequently in the sense of 'grasping' or 'understanding', and its use in law enforcement contexts became more prominent later.
Memory tip
Think of 'prehend' as related to 'prehensil' (grasping). Apprehend is to grasp an idea.