fathom

verbdiscern, understand

Synonyms for fathom

verb discern, understand

Antonyms for fathom

Word Origin & History

Old English fæðm "length of the outstretched arm" (a measure of about six feet), also "arms, grasp," and, figuratively "power," from Proto-Germanic *fathmaz "embrace" (cf. Old Norse faðmr "embrace, bosom," Old Saxon fathmos "the outstretched arms," Dutch vadem "a measure of six feet"), from PIE *pot(e)-mo-, from root *pete- "to spread, stretch out" (see pace (n.)). There are apparent cognates in Old Frisian fethem, German faden "thread," which OED explains by reference to "spreading out."

Example Sentences for fathom

Sixty fathom of two-inch chain, and old Joe talks about parting.

But any attempt on his part to fathom it only met with cold silence.

"There's less than a fathom of water here, sir," sang out Johnson from the bows.

The look in his eyes was both sad and savage--an expression I could not fathom.

Miss Hernshaw didn't seek to fathom the mystery of his closing words.

Kirkwood groaned with despair of his inability to fathom the abyss of his self-contempt.

Yet Wrayson was uneasily conscious of something underneath it all which he could not fathom.

Is there a single spot which the eye, by any peering or prying, can fathom or exhaust?

The friend did not seek further to fathom the mystery attending this birth of the artist.

There was something strange doing, and he wished to fathom the mystery.

fathom

Synonyms for fathom

Antonyms for fathom

appreciated

appreciates

appreciating

apprehend

comprehend

fathom

Synonyms for fathom

Antonyms for fathom

More words related to fathom

appreciate

appreciated

appreciates

appreciating

apprehend

comprehend