fathom
fathom 英 [ˈfæðəm] 美 [ˈfæðəm]
vt. 理解；彻底了解 n. 英寻（测量水深的长度单位,1.8米）
进行时:fathoming 过去式:fathomed 过去分词:fathomed 第三人称单数:fathoms 名词复数:fathoms
- To fathom something is to understand it thoroughly, and is usually used in the negative, as in "I can't fathom why he doesn't want to go along with us."
- 请先登录
- vt. 理解；彻底了解
- n. 英寻（测量水深的长度单位,1.8米）
-
1. It is hard to fathom the pain felt at the death of a child.
丧子之痛是难以体会的。
-
2. He couldn't fathom out what the man could possibly mean.
他弄不清这个男人的意思。
-
3. The ship sank in 20 fathoms.
船沉在水下 20 英寻处。
- fathom (n.) Old English fæðm "length of the outstretched arm" (a measure of about six feet), also "arms, grasp, embrace," and, figuratively "power," from Proto-Germanic *fathmaz "embrace" (source also of Old Norse faðmr "embrace, bosom," Old Saxon fathmos "the outstretched arms," Dutch vadem "a measure of six feet"), from PIE *pot(ə)-mo-, suffixed form of root *pete- "to spread." It has apparent cognates in Old Frisian fethem, German faden "thread," which OED explains by reference to "spreading out." As a unit of measure, in an early gloss it appears for Latin passus, which was about 5 feet.
- fathom (v.) Old English fæðmian "to embrace, surround, envelop," from a Proto-Germanic verb derived from the source of fathom (n.); cognates: Old High German fademon, Old Norse faþma. The meaning "take soundings" is from c. 1600; its figurative sense of "get to the bottom of, penetrate with the mind, understand" is from 1620s. Related: Fathomed; fathoming.
- 请先登录
0 个回复