To understand or perceive something, especially something complex or abstract. Can also mean to arrest or capture someone.
From Latin 'apprehendere' meaning 'to seize' or 'lay hold of,' composed of 'ad-' (to) + 'prehendere' (to grasp). The meaning evolved from physical grasping to mental grasping or understanding.
The word literally means 'to grab toward' something! This explains why we use the same word for both understanding an idea and arresting a criminal - both involve 'seizing' or 'grasping' something that might slip away.
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