14 definitions found for fathom

Fathom FATH'OM, n.
1. A measure of length containing six feet, the space to which a man may extend his arms; used chiefly at sea for measuring cables, cordage, and the depth of the sea is sounding by a line and lead.
2. Reach; penetration; depth of thought or contrivance.
FATH'OM, v.t.
1. To encompass with the arms extended or encircling.
2. To reach; to master; to comprehend.
Leave to fathom such high points as these.
3. To reach in depth; to sound; to try the depth.
Our depths who fathoms.
4. To penetrate; to find the bottom or extent. I cannot fathom his design.

fathom n 1: a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth [syn: fathom, fthm] 2: (mining) a unit of volume (equal to 6 cubic feet) used in measuring bodies of ore [syn: fathom, fthm] v 1: come to understand [syn: penetrate, fathom, bottom] 2: measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line [syn: fathom, sound]

fathom I. noun Etymology: Middle English fadme, from Old English fæthm outstretched arms, length of the outstretched arms; akin to Old Norse fathmr fathom, Latin patēre to be open, pandere to spread out, Greek petannynai Date: before 12th century 1. a unit of length equal to six feet (1.83 meters) used especially for measuring the depth of water — sometimes used in the singular when qualified by a number <five fathom deep> 2. comprehension II. verb Date: 1607 intransitive verb 1. probe 2. to take soundings transitive verb 1. to measure by a sounding line 2. to penetrate and come to understand <couldn't fathom the problem> • fathomable adjective

fathom
n. & v.
--n. (pl. often fathom when prec. by a number)
1 a measure of six feet, esp. used in taking depth soundings.
2 Brit. a quantity of wood six feet square in cross-section.
--v.tr.
1 grasp or comprehend (a problem or difficulty).
2 measure the depth of (water) with a sounding-line.
Derivatives:
fathomable adj. fathomless adj.
Etymology: OE fæthm outstretched arms f. Gmc

fathom (fathoms, fathoming fathomed) 1. A fathom is a measurement of 1.8 metres or 6 feet, used when referring to the depth of water. We sailed into the bay and dropped anchor in five fathoms of water. N-COUNT: oft num N 2. If you cannot fathom something, you are unable to understand it, although you think carefully about it. I really couldn't fathom what Steiner was talking about... Jeremy's passive attitude was hard to fathom. VERB: no cont, oft with brd-neg, V wh, V n • Fathom out means the same as fathom. We're trying to fathom out what's going on... I'm having difficulty using my video editing equipment and can't fathom out the various connections. PHRASAL VERB: V P wh, V P n (not pron), also V n P

fathom ˈfæðəm n. & v. --n. (pl. often fathom when prec. by a number) 1 a measure of six feet, esp. used in taking depth soundings. 2 Brit. a quantity of wood six feet square in cross-section. --v.tr. 1 grasp or comprehend (a problem or difficulty). 2 measure the depth of (water) with a sounding-line. øøfathomable adj. fathomless adj. [OE fóthm outstretched arms f. Gmc]

Fathom a measure of 6 ft. used in taking marine soundings, originally an Anglo-Saxon term for the distance stretched by a man's extended arms; is sometimes used in mining operations.

Fathom Fath"om, n. [OE. fadme, fa[eth]me, AS. f[ae][eth]m fathom, the embracing arms; akin to OS. fa[eth]mos the outstretched arms, D. vadem, vaam, fathom, OHG. fadom, fadum, G. faden fathom, thread, Icel. fa[eth]mr fathom, Sw. famn, Dan. favn; cf. Gr. ?????????? to spread out, ??????? outspread, flat, L. patere to lie open, extend. Cf. Patent, Petal.] 1. A measure of length, containing six feet; the space to which a man can extend his arms; -- used chiefly in measuring cables, cordage, and the depth of navigable water by soundings. 2. The measure or extant of one's capacity; depth, as of intellect; profundity; reach; penetration. [R.] Another of his fathom they have none To lead their business. --Shak.

Fathom Fath"om, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fathomed; p. pr. & vb. n. Fathoming.] 1. To encompass with the arms extended or encircling; to measure by throwing the arms about; to span. [Obs.] --Purchas. 2. The measure by a sounding line; especially, to sound the depth of; to penetrate, measure, and comprehend; to get to the bottom of. --Dryden. The page of life that was spread out before me seemed dull and commonplace, only because I had not fathomed its deeper import. --Hawthotne.

FATHOM fath'-um (~orguia): The literal meaning is the length of the outstretched arms, and it was regarded as equal to 4 cubits, or about 6 feet. (Ac 27:28). See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Fathom (Old A.S. faethm, "bosom," or the outstretched arms), a span of six feet (Acts 27:28). Gr. orguia (from orego, "I stretch"), the distance between the extremities of both arms fully stretched out.

fathom I. n. Six feet, two yards. II. v. a. 1. Sound, try the depth of, measure by a sounding-line. 2. Divine, penetrate, reach, understand, comprehend.

fathom ˈfæðəm v. probe, sound, plumb, penetrate, search (out), investigate, measure, gauge, determine, ascertain, work out, get to the bottom of, delve into, understand, grasp, divine: I never quite fathomed the purpose of this device.

155 Moby Thesaurus words for "fathom": absorb, answer, appraise, appreciate, apprehend, ascertain, assay, assess, assimilate, be acquainted with, be apprised of, be aware of, be cognizant of, be conscious of, be conversant with, be informed, be with one, bottom, calculate, calibrate, caliper, cast the lead, catch, catch on, check a parameter, clear up, cognize, comprehend, compute, conceive, conceptualize, crack, debug, decipher, decode, delve into, determine, dial, dig, dig into, digest, discern, disentangle, divide, divine, do, dope, dope out, estimate, evaluate, explain, explore, figure out, find out, find the answer, find the solution, follow, gauge, get, get hold of, get right, get the drift, get the idea, get the picture, go into, graduate, grasp, guess, guess right, have, have information about, have it, have it taped, have knowledge of, hit it, indagate, interpret, investigate, ken, know, learn, look into, make a sounding, make out, master, measure, mensurate, mete, meter, open the lock, pace, peer into, penetrate, perceive, pierce, plumb, plumb the depths, plumb-line, poke into, possess, prehend, prize, probe, pry into, psych, psych out, puzzle out, quantify, quantize, rate, ravel, ravel out, read, realize, recognize, resolve, riddle, savvy, search into, search out, see, seize, seize the meaning, sense, sift, size, size up, sling the lead, solve, sort out, sound, span, step, survey, take, take a reading, take in, take soundings, triangulate, understand, undo, unlock, unravel, unriddle, unscramble, untangle, untwist, unweave, valuate, value, weigh, work, work out, wot, wot of