verb
apprehend
ap-rih-HEHND
verb
1
To arrest someone, especially a suspected criminal.
"Police apprehended the suspect near the train station."
2
To understand or grasp something mentally.
"It took a while for the full scale of the disaster to be apprehended."
3
To anticipate something, usually with worry or fear.
"She apprehended trouble the moment she saw his face."
How to Use Apprehend
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo catch/arrest someone, to understand something, or to fearfully expect something bad.
Common pairings
apprehend a suspect
apprehend the situation
Word Forms
apprehended past tense, apprehends singular
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Etymology
From Old French apprehender, from Latin apprehendere, "to grab hold of," from ad- + prehendere, "to seize."