apprehend
word
Definition
To catch and arrest someone, especially by the police. It can also mean to understand or grasp something, usually in a formal or literary context.
Usage & Nuances
Formal word mostly used in legal, police, or academic contexts. 'Apprehend a suspect' means to arrest; 'apprehend the meaning' is rare and formal for 'understand.' Don't confuse with 'comprehend,' which simply means 'understand.'
Spanish: aprehender - detenerPortuguese (BR): apreender - capturar - deterPortuguese (PT): apreender - deterChinese (Simplified): 逮捕 - 理解（书面语）Chinese (Traditional): 逮捕 - 領會（書面語）Hindi: गिरफ्तार करना - समझना (औपचारिक)Arabic: يقبض على - يفهم (رسمي)Bengali: গ্রেপ্তার করা - বোঝা (ফরমাল)Russian: задержать - арестовать - постигать (книжн.)Japanese: 逮捕する - 理解する（格式的）Vietnamese: bắt giữ - lĩnh hội (trang trọng)Korean: 체포하다 - 이해하다 (격식체)Turkish: yakalamak - anlamak (resmî/edebi)Urdu: گرفتار کرنا - سمجھنا (ادبی/رسمی)Indonesian: bắt giữ - lĩnh hội (trang trọng)
Example Sentences
The police apprehended the thief last night.
basic
The meaning of the poem was hard to apprehend.
basic
It took hours to apprehend the suspect.
basic
They finally apprehended the man after a long chase through the city.
natural
I can't quite apprehend what she's trying to say.
natural
If we apprehend the risks, we can better prepare for them.
natural