|kämprə̇|hend, -rē|- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English comprehenden, from Latin comprehendere, from com- + prehendere to grasp, seize — more at prehensile
1. : to see the nature, significance, or meaning of : grasp mentally : attain to the knowledge of
comprehend where her duties lie
stumbled through the brown book, not … comprehending what it meant — Rudyard Kipling
2. : to contain or hold within a total scope, significance, or amount often as a part, item, concomitant, or factor : embrace
a magnificent view comprehending all the upper half of the floor of the valley — John Muir †1914
for philosophy's scope comprehends the truth of everything which man may understand — H.O.Taylor
3. : to take in or include by construction or implication : comprise , imply
and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself — Rom 13:9 (Authorized Version)
4. obsolete : grasp , seize , attain
Synonyms: see include , understand