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fathom

   Also found in: Legal, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
fath·om  (fm)
n. Abbr. fth. or fm.
A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.83 meters), used principally in the measurement and specification of marine depths.
tr.v. fath·omed, fath·om·ing, fath·oms
1. To penetrate to the meaning or nature of; comprehend.
2. To determine the depth of; sound.

[Middle English fathme, from Old English fæthm, outstretched arms; see pet- in Indo-European roots.]

fathom·a·ble adj.

fathom [ˈfæðəm]
n
1. (Mathematics & Measurements / Units) a unit of length equal to six feet (1.829 metres), used to measure depths of water
2. (Mining & Quarrying) Mining a unit of volume usually equal to six cubic feet, used in measuring ore bodies
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Forestry) Forestry a unit of volume equal to six cubic feet, used for measuring timber
vb (tr)
1. to measure the depth of, esp with a sounding line; sound
2. to penetrate (a mystery, problem, etc.); discover the meaning of
[Old English fæthm; related to Old Frisian fethem outstretched arms, Old Norse fathmr embrace, Old High German fadum cubit, Latin patēre to gape]
fathomable  adj
fathomer  n

Fathom a quantity of wood, six feet square in elevation, 1577.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.fathom - a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth
linear measure, linear unit - a unit of measurement of length
yard, pace - a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
2.fathom - (mining) a unit of volume (equal to 6 cubic feet) used in measuring bodies of ore
mining, excavation - the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth
Verb1.fathom - come to understand
understand - know and comprehend the nature or meaning of; "She did not understand her husband"; "I understand what she means"
2.fathom - measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line
measure, quantify - express as a number or measure or quantity; "Can you quantify your results?"

fathom
verb understand, grasp, comprehend, interpret, get to the bottom of I couldn't fathom what he was talking about.
Translations
fathom [ˈfæðəm]
A. Nbraza f
water five fathoms deepagua de una profundidad de cinco brazas
B. VT
1. (Naut) → sond(e)ar
2. (fig) (also fathom out) → descifrar, llegar a entender; [+ mystery] → desentrañar
I can't fathom whyno me explico por qué
I can't fathom him/it out at allno le/lo entiendo en absoluto

fathom [ˈfæðəm]
nbrasse = 1828 mm)f >
vt
[+ mystery] → sonder, pénétrer; [+ sb's attitude, behaviour] → comprendre
(also fathom out) to fathom what ... → comprendre ce que ...
We're trying to fathom out what's going on → Nous essayons de comprendre ce qu'il se passe.
to fathom why ... → comprendre pourquoi ...

fathom
nFaden m
vt
(lit)ausloten
(= understand)ermessen (geh); (inf: also fathom out) → verstehen; I just can’t fathom him (out)er ist mir ein Rätsel; I couldn’t fathom it (out)ich kam der Sache nicht auf den Grund, ich kam nicht dahinter (inf); we’re trying to fathom (out) what …wir versuchen zu ergründen, was …

fathom [ˈfæðəm]
1. n (Naut) → braccio (=1,83m)
2. vt (fig) (also fathom out) → capire; (mystery) → penetrare, sondare
I can't fathom why → non riesco a capire perché
I can't fathom it out → non ci capisco assolutamente niente

fathom [ˈfæðəm]
1. n (Naut) → braccio (=1,83m)
2. vt (fig) (also fathom out) → capire; (mystery) → penetrare, sondare
I can't fathom why → non riesco a capire perché
I can't fathom it out → non ci capisco assolutamente niente

fathom
n fathom [ˈfaðəm]
a measure of depth of water (6 feet or 1.8 metres) The water is 8 fathoms deep. vaam, vadem مِقْياس الأعْماق ويُساوي ستة أقْدام фатом sáh favn der Faden οργιά braza süld فاتوم؛ مسبار syli brasse מִידַת עוֹמֶק गहराई hvat (6 stopa tj.183cm) öl (hosszmérték) eter faðmur braccio ひろ 바다나 광산에서의 길이의 단위이며 6피트 jūros sieksnis jūras ass (dziļuma mērs — 1,8 m) fatom vadem favn sążeń braça stânjen морская сажень siaha seženj hvat famn หน่วยวัดความลึกของน้ำ (มีค่าเท่ากับ 6 ฟุต หรือ1.8 เมตร) kulaç 英尋(長度單位) морський сажень پانی کی گہرائی کی پیمائش کی اکائی sải
v
to understand (a mystery etc) I cannot fathom why she should have left home. peil, agter iets kom/ iets verklaar يُدْرِك، يَسْبر غَوْر проумявам pochopit begribe; fatte ergründen κατανοώ comprender mõistma درک کردن käsittää comprendre לְהָבִין थाह लेना dokučiti, razumjeti mélyére hatol vminek memahami komast til botns í capire 見きわめる 간파하다 suprasti, suvokti izprast; saprast; izdibināt menduga doorgronden komme til bunns i, lodde, forstå zgłębić, pojąć compreender a în­ţe­lege постигать pochopiť razumeti, misliti si shvatiti förstå, komma underfund med เข้าใจ iyice anlamak 揣摩 осягати; збагнути کسی راز وغیرہ کو سمجھنا tìm hiểu 揣摩


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If the machinery of the Law could be depended on to fathom every case of suspicion, and to conduct every process of inquiry, with moderate assistance only from the lubricating influences of oil of gold, the events which fill these pages might have claimed their share of the public attention in a Court of Justice.
Oodles and oodles of it, my gentlemen, in cask and chest, in cask and chest, a fathom under the sand.
The mysterious sun-sickness, which the experts of Australia could not fathom, still ripped and tore my tissues.
 
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