apprehend
Grasp or capture
Apprehend means to seize or arrest: Police apprehended the suspect at the border.
The word also means to grasp mentally—to understand or perceive: I apprehend your meaning.
A third sense involves anticipating something with anxiety: She apprehended the worst when the phone rang at midnight.
All three senses share the idea of taking hold, whether physically, intellectually, or emotionally.
Hold in custody
- captureTake into custody
- custodyProtective care or control
- handcuffsLocking wrist restraints
- warrantFormal authorization document
suspect · fugitive · seize · collar · nab · catch · booking · law enforcement
Seize or understand
- perceiveBecome conscious of
- realizeBecome aware of
- discernPerceive with careful attention
- fathomNautical depth unit
cognize · recognize · conceive · absorb · assimilate · deduce · infer · intuit
Notice or discover
- noticeBecome aware of
- observePerceive with attention
- discernPerceive with careful attention
- recognizePerceive as known
sense · spot · witness · register · pick up on · take in · cognize · make out
Intense anticipatory fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
- uneaseMild persistent worry
misgiving · worry · nervousness · alarm · wary · uneasy · qualm · disquiet
detain
Hold in custody
warrant · suspect · fugitive · seize · collar · nab · catch · booking · law enforcement · police
grasp
Seize or understand
fathom · cognize · recognize · conceive · absorb · assimilate · deduce · infer · intuit · interpret
detect
Notice or discover
recognize · sense · spot · witness · register · pick up on · take in · cognize · make out · identify
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
unease · misgiving · worry · nervousness · alarm · wary · uneasy · qualm · disquiet · concern
apprehendmisunderstand
Grasp incorrectly
misapprehend · misconstrue · misinterpret · misperceive · misread
apprehension, apprehensive, apprehended, misapprehend, apprehending, apprehensiveness, apprehensively, misapprehension, apprehends