What exactly does this quote mean? Favorite Answer. Fathom is from Middle English fadme, from Old English fæthm "outstretched arms." Fathom comes to us from Old English fæthm, meaning "outstretched arms." Favorite Answer. more_vert. a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 meters): used chiefly in nautical measurements. Pin down [understand, fathom out] - English Only forum So big that most of us can't "fathom" it. Fathom originates from Old English fæthm, "length of the outstretched arms." To penetrate to the meaning or nature of; comprehend. Could he fathom the meaning of the colors? Definition of fathom in English English dictionary Grasp, envelopment, control A measure of length corresponding to the outstretched arms, standardised to six feet, now used mainly for measuring depths in seas or oceans To measure the depth of, take a sounding of To get to the bottom of; to manage to comprehend (a problem etc.) For years people have been trying to fathom the mysteries of the whale's song: 5. (4) He could never fathom ever giving up his absolute free will. The original meaning of the noun fathom was “the two arms outstretched.” A fathom was the length represented by the arms of a full-grown man held straight out to either side. 23. (3) She didn't have time to fathom the mystery of books, though. 8 years ago. 14. We sailed into the bay and dropped anchor in five fathoms of water. A scientist may fathom the magnitude of a discovery, or consider carefully all its implications. What is the American word for the British tick? 5 Answers . Relevance? What is the American word for the British braces? Answer Save. “I still can't fathom how somebody would do that to somebody.” I cannot fathom that,” and calling Lewandowski “a political shill.” I can't fathom it. , comprehend, work out, fathom out, make sense of, grasp, catch, follow, perceive, make out, penetrate, divine, search out, ferret out, puzzle out, take in, assimilate, absorb, get to the bottom of. It’s equal to about 6 feet or 1.8 meters. A fathom is a measurment of the depth of water in the sea. 4 Answers. (2) Even if we were just friends, I still didn't want to fathom another girl in the picture. oms 1. The literal meaning of the verb, to fathom is “to encircle with the arms.” For example, a tree trunk might be too thick for a man to fathom (i.e., encircle with his arms). It is hard to fathom the pain felt at the death of a child: 4. A fathom is the unit of measurement used in calculating sea depth. Source(s): https://shrink.im/a7Wmb. (1) But I can't fathom anyone reading stories like this and not feeling the sting and burn of utter, abject shame. Erika. English Mr Böge, I cannot quite fathom what you mean by defective methods of calculation. My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations. can't fathom definition, meaning, English dictionary, synonym, see also 'can't',you can't win',you can or can't talk',can't tell (or doesn't know)chalk from cheese', Reverso dictionary, English definition… 1usually with negative Understand (a difficult problem or an enigmatic person) after much thought. We sailed into the bay and dropped anchor in five fathoms of water. Relevance. 2. ‘But I can't fathom anyone reading stories like this and not feeling the sting and burn of utter, abject shame.’ ‘She couldn't fathom him having any of those anymore.’ ‘It really did give one's mind a good exercise, trying to fathom out the clues, whether they be ‘red herrings’ or helpful hints.’ 1. a unit of mesuring distance that is 6 feet or about equal to the length of a grown man's outstreched arms. 15. The noun fathom, which now commonly refers to a measure (especially of depth) of six feet, was originally used for the distance, fingertip to fingertip, created by stretching one's arms straight out from the sides of the body. He couldn't fathom out what the man could possibly mean: 3. Does English Have More Words Than Any Other Language? 22. Whether you're a student, an educator, or a lifelong learner, Vocabulary.com can put you What is the American word for the British number plate? I simply can't fathom quantum physics. Chaotic/confused thoughts that he can't make sense of, something like that. a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth, measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line, a unit of measurement of volume or capacity, express as a number or measure or quantity, know and comprehend the nature or meaning of. Tips: Fathom is often used in the context of "not" being able to understand, as in, "I can't fathom why you did that." That might not be true in UK English. 2. 18. e.g. fathomed definition: 1. past simple and past participle of fathom 2. to discover the meaning of something: 3. to…. ‘But I can't fathom anyone reading stories like this and not feeling the sting and burn of utter, abject shame.’ ‘She couldn't fathom him having any of those anymore.’ ‘It really did give one's mind a good exercise, trying to fathom out the clues, whether they be ‘red herrings’ or helpful hints.’ Are You Learning English? SumDude. It's too 'deep' for you to understand. Sign up. Example. This meaning is where the original nautical measurement originated. (3) She didn't have time to fathom the mystery of books, though. oms 1. 2. transitive verb [no cont, oft with brd-neg] If you cannot fathom something, you are unable to understand it, although you think carefully about it. To determine the depth of; sound. The Old English and modern English noun also refers to a unit of length used to measure the depth of water. fathom definition: 1. a unit for measuring the depth of water, equal to 1.8 metres or 6 feet 2. to discover the…. open_in_new Link to source ; warning Request revision ; Jag kan inte riktigt föreställa mig, herr Böge, vad ni menar när ni säger felaktiga beräkningsmetoder. 16. A phantom is like a ghost. i can't fathom why definition in English dictionary, i can't fathom why meaning, synonyms, see also 'fathomer',fathomable',Fathometer',fathomless'. What is the American word for the British crisps? What is the American word for the British holiday? I can't for the life of me fathom what this means. To determine the depth of; sound. Don't have an account yet? im confused. Enrich your vocabulary with the English Definition … Answer Save. 9 years ago . Fathom Definition. (1) But I can't fathom anyone reading stories like this and not feeling the sting and burn of utter, abject shame. on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement. There is a difference of a fathom in the mean height of the tides. Learn more. What is the American word for the British tea towel? I was watching an OMFGitsjackanddean video and Jack said "I cant even fathom..!" Definition of fathom Fathom is a system of measurement for measuring the depth of water. The original sense was ‘something which embraces’, (plural) ‘the outstretched arms’; hence, a unit of measurement based on the span of the outstretched arms, later standardized to six feet. 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Length of our political campaigns down [ understand, fathom out ] - English only forum So big that of... When referring to the depth of water most Common English Language usage, the most Common Language... Magnitude of a grown man 's outstreched arms. into the bay and dropped anchor in five of.

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