Fathom - English meaning

verb

Take in or soak up (energy or a liquid or other substance) by chemical or physical action.

Usage examples:

Buildings can be designed to absorb and retain heat

verb

To take in a liquid, gas, or chemical

Usage examples:

The black clay soil around here doesn’t absorb water very well., fig. the country has absorbed mill…

verb

If an organization absorbs the cost of something, it pays that cost

Usage examples:

The law school has absorbed most of the expenses so far, but it may have to offer fewer places next…

verb

Take in and understand fully (information or ideas).

Usage examples:

Marie tried to assimilate the week's events

verb

To take in and make a part of your basic knowledge something learned from others, so that you can use it as your own

Usage examples:

[ t ] we hoped the students would assimilate the information contained in the lecture., [ t ] once …

verb

To become part of a group, country, society, etc., or to make someone or something become part of a group, country, society, etc.

Usage examples:

The european union should remain flexible enough to assimilate more countries quickly., you shouldn…

verb

Intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped).

Usage examples:

She threw the bottle into the air and caught it again

noun

An act of catching something, typically a ball.

Usage examples:

I saw myself fumbling easy catches and looking clumsy.

verb

Take hold of so as to seize or stop the motion of

verb

Grasp mentally; understand.

Usage examples:

He couldn't comprehend her reasons for marrying lovat

verb

To understand something completely

Usage examples:

If you don’t comprehend something, don’t be afraid to seem dumb, just speak out., the directions we…

adjective

Of or like god or a god.

Usage examples:

Heroes with divine powers

noun

A cleric or theologian.

Usage examples:

There are also many references to contemporary natural sciences and a healthy smattering of anglica…

verb

Discover (something) by guesswork or intuition.

Usage examples:

Mum had divined my state of mind

verb

Roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of.

Usage examples:

The aim is to estimate the effects of macroeconomic policy on the economy

noun

An approximate calculation or judgement of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something.

Usage examples:

At a rough estimate, staff are recycling a quarter of paper used

verb

Judge tentatively

verb

Go or come after (a person or thing proceeding ahead); move or travel behind.

Usage examples:

She went back into the house, and ben followed her

verb

To move along after someone or something, or to move along a route or path

Usage examples:

[ t ] the dog followed us home., [ i ] he drove ahead and we followed in our own car., [ t ] follow…

verb

To happen or come after something

Usage examples:

More mergers are likely to follow., october's increase followed a 1.6% rise in output in september.…

noun

An instrument that measures and gives a visual display of the amount, level, or contents of something.

Usage examples:

A fuel gauge

verb

The position of a sailing ship to windward ( the weather gage ) or leeward ( the lee gage ) of another.

Usage examples:

The french fleet was heavily outnumbered but had the weather gage

verb

To calculate an amount, especially by using a measuring device

Usage examples:

Use a thermometer to gauge the temperature., i tried to gauge (= guess) the weight of the box.

idiom

To discover the real but sometimes hidden reason that something exists or happens

Usage examples:

Investigators are trying to get to the bottom of what went wrong.

verb

Seize and hold firmly.

Usage examples:

She grasped the bottle

noun

A firm hold or grip.

Usage examples:

The child slipped from her grasp

verb

Hold firmly

verb

Go into or through (something), especially with force or effort.

Usage examples:

The shrapnel had penetrated his head

verb

Pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

verb

To move into or through something

Usage examples:

[ i ] the drill isn’t sharp enough to penetrate into the rock., [ t ] women have begun to penetrate…

verb

Become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.

Usage examples:

His mouth fell open as he perceived the truth

verb

Become aware of through the senses

verb

To think of something in a particular way

Usage examples:

The way people perceive the real world is strongly influenced by the language they speak., in those…

verb

Measure (the depth of a body of water).

Usage examples:

I plumbed the depth and found the bottom of the shelf to be seven metres down

noun

A ball of lead or other heavy object attached to the end of a line for finding the depth of water or determining the vertical on an upright surface.

Usage examples:

He traces a line in white paint along the wall beyond the leaves, then drops a plumb from a cord st…

adverb

Exactly.

Usage examples:

Trading opportunities plumb in the centre of central europe

noun

A blunt-ended surgical instrument used for exploring a wound or part of the body.

Usage examples:

The surgeon passes the probe over the surgical site again and excises more specimen if elevated rad…

verb

Physically explore or examine (something) with the hands or an instrument.

Usage examples:

Hands probed his body from top to bottom

verb

To search into or examine something

Usage examples:

[ i ] investigators are probing into new evidence in the case., [ t ] using a special instrument, t…

noun

Vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear.

Usage examples:

Light travels faster than sound

verb

Emit or cause to emit sound.

Usage examples:

A loud buzzer sounded

adjective

In good condition; not damaged, injured, or diseased.

Usage examples:

They returned safe and sound

phrasal verb

Provide with shelter

verb

To move something or someone from one place to another

Usage examples:

Please, take me with you!, it may rain, so take your umbrella., the suitcases were taken to madrid …

verb

To subtract one number or amount from another

Usage examples:

Take sth from sth you'll need to take $2,000 from the $8,000 to allow for tax., take sth/sb off (st…

verb

Perceive the intended meaning of (words, a language, or a speaker).

Usage examples:

He didn't understand a word i said

verb

Know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

verb

To know the meaning of something, or to know how a person feels and why the person behaves in a particular way

Usage examples:

[ + question word ] i don’t understand what he means., [ t ] is there anyone here who understands e…

collocation

Find the solution to or understand the meaning of

phrasal verb

Plan or devise something in detail.

Usage examples:

We need to work out a seating plan

phrasal verb

Solve a sum or determine an amount by calculation.

Usage examples:

The interest rate is worked out by adding a certain amount to the current base rate