An archaic term meaning to comprehend or understand something completely.
From Old French 'comprendre,' combining 'com-' (together) and 'prehendere' (to seize or grasp). The meaning evolved from the literal sense of seizing together to the abstract sense of grasping with the mind.
This word shows how verbs about physical grasping became verbs about mental understanding—the Romans thought of learning as literally 'grabbing' ideas, just like we still 'grasp' concepts today.
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