| Definitions | | fathom |
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noun
- (obsolete) grasp, Grasp, envelopment, control.
- (nautical) A measure of length corresponding to the outstretched arms, standardised to six feet, now used mainly for measuring depths in seas or oceans.
Translations: - Dutch: vadem
- French: brasse
- German: Klafter, Faden
- Italian: braccio
- Spanish: braza
verb
- (archaic) To encircle with outstretched arms, especially to take a measurement; to embrace.
- To measure the depth of, take a sounding of.
- (figuratively) To get to the bottom of; to manage to comprehend (a problem etc.).
- I can't for the life of me what this means.
Translations: - French: saisir, comprendre
- Italian: capire, comprendere
- German: ausloten, ergrí¼nden
Etymology: Old English fíím "outstretched arms", from Germanic - faímaz, from Indo-European
- pet-. Cognate with Dutch vadem, vaam, German Faden, Swedish famn.
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