Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [fath -uh m]
- /ˈfæð əm/
- /ˈfæð.əm/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [fath -uh m]
- /ˈfæð əm/
Definitions of fathom word
- noun plural fathom a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 meters): used chiefly in nautical measurements. Abbreviation: fath. 1
- verb with object fathom to measure the depth of by means of a sounding line; sound. 1
- verb with object fathom to penetrate to the truth of; comprehend; understand: to fathom someone's motives. 1
- noun fathom A unit of length equal to six feet (approximately 1.8 m), chiefly used in reference to the depth of water. 1
- noun fathom measure of water depth 1
- transitive verb fathom measure water depth 1
Information block about the term
Origin of fathom
First appearance:
before 900 One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English fathme, Old English fæthm span of outstretched arms; cognate with German Faden six-foot measure, Old Norse fathmr; akin to patent
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Fathom
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
fathom popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 83% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
fathom usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for fathom
verb fathom
- pinpoint — the point of a pin.
- appreciate — If you appreciate something, for example a piece of music or good food, you like it because you recognize its good qualities.
- plumb — J(ohn) H(arold) 1911–2001, British historian.
- comprehend — If you cannot comprehend something, you cannot understand it.
- unravel — to separate or disentangle the threads of (a woven or knitted fabric, a rope, etc.).
Antonyms for fathom
verb fathom
- misunderstand — to take (words, statements, etc.) in a wrong sense; understand wrongly.
- guess — to arrive at or commit oneself to an opinion about (something) without having sufficient evidence to support the opinion fully: to guess a person's weight.
- misinterpret — Interpret (something or someone) wrongly.
- lose — to come to be without (something in one's possession or care), through accident, theft, etc., so that there is little or no prospect of recovery: I'm sure I've merely misplaced my hat, not lost it.
- miss — to fail to hit or strike: to miss a target.
Top questions with fathom
- how deep is a fathom?
- what does fathom mean?
- how many feet in a fathom?
- what is a fathom?
- fathom events doctor who?
- how long is a fathom?
- how much is a fathom in feet?
- how much is a fathom?
- how many feet are in a fathom?
- how deep is a fathom in feet?
- how far is a fathom?
- how many feet is a fathom?
- how big is a fathom?
- what is fathom?
- how do you spell fathom?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with f
- Words starting with fa
- Words starting with fat
- Words starting with fath
- Words starting with fatho
- Words starting with fathom