FATHOM


Meaning of FATHOM in English

I. ˈfa-thəm 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

• fath·om·able ˈfa-thə-mə-bəl adjective

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.