Fathom

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈfæðəm/

Origin

From Middle English fathome, fadome, from Old English fæþm, fæþme ("outstretched or encircling arms, embrace, grasp, protection, interior, bosom, lap, breast, womb, fathom, cubit, power, expanse, surface"), from Proto-Germanic *faþmaz ("embrace"), from Proto-Indo-European *pet- ("to spread out, extend"). Cognate with Low German fadem, faem ("a cubit, thread"), Dutch vadem, vaam ("fathom"), German Faden ("thread, filament, fathom"), Danish favn ("embrace, fathom"), Swedish famn ("the arms, bosom, embrace"), Icelandic faðmur ("embrace").

Noun

1. (obsolete) Grasp, envelopment, control.
2. (nautical) A measure of length corresponding to the outstretched arms, standardised to six feet, now used mainly for measuring depths in seas or oceans.
3. (by extension) Mental reach or scope; penetration; the extent of capacity; depth of thought or contrivance.
• ShakespeareAnother of his fathom they have none
  To lead their business (Othello, I.i. 151-2).

Synonyms

• (measure of length corresponding to the outstretched arms) brace

Full definition of fathom

Verb

1. (transitive, archaic) To encircle with outstretched arms, especially to take a measurement; to embrace.
2. (transitive) To measure the depth of, take a sounding of.
3. (transitive, figuratively) To get to the bottom of; to manage to comprehend (a problem etc.).I can't for the life of me fathom what this means.

Synonyms

• fathom out, figure out, puzzle out, work out

Related terms

• fathomable
• fathometer
• fathomless
• fathom out
• unfathomable