verb · transitive · rare

fathom

fa·thom

fathom · fathoms · fathomed · fathoming

усвідомлювати, збагнути, здогадуватися, осягати

понимать, измерять, исследовать, расследовать

verstehen, begreifen, ausloten, sondieren

To measure the depth ofTo measure the depth of (water); to take a sounding of; to sound.

ⓘ

UK/ˈfað(ə)m/US/ˈfæðəm/

» I can't fathom how Tom did that.

Meaning

6 senses

(also, figuratively, transitive)To measure the depth of (water); to take a sounding of; to sound.
ausloten, loten, sondieren
де́лать проме́р лотомdélatʹ promér lotom, измеря́тьizmerjátʹ
measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line
(figuratively, transitive)Often followed by out: to deeply understand (someone or something); to get to the bottom of.
I can’t for the life of me fathom what this means.
begreifen, ergründen, verstehen
иссле́доватьisslédovatʹ, осознава́тьosoznavátʹ, понима́тьponimátʹ
осягатиosjahaty, збагнутиzbahnuty, усвідомлюватиusvidomljuvaty
(intransitive)To measure a depth; to sound.
(figuratively, intransitive)To conduct an examination or inquiry; to investigate.
(archaic, obsolete, transitive)To encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; specifically, to measure the circumference or (rare) length of something.
umarmen
обхватитьobxvatitʹ
обхопитиobxopyty, обійнятиobijnjaty
(obsolete, transitive)To embrace (someone or something).

Examples

11 sentences

I can't fathom how Tom did that.
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · C1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
I can't fathom what you said.
Я не можу осягнути те, що ви сказали. — Anjy
ruЯ не могу оценить глубину Вашего высказывания. — shanghainese
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · C1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
I can't fathom why somebody would make something like that up.
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · bekindtoall · C1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
I absolutely cannot fathom why you bought that ridiculously expensive car.
deIch kann absolut nicht verstehen, warum du dir dieses irrwitzig teure Auto gekauft hast. — Yorwba
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · mccarras · C1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
I can't fathom it.
deIch komme nicht dahinter. — raggione
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · Eccles17 · C1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

8 languages

Українська

By meaning 2

to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something:

to deeply understand (someone or something):

Русский

By meaning 3

to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound:

to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something:

to deeply understand (someone or something):

Deutsch

By meaning 3

to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound:

to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something:

to deeply understand (someone or something):

Origin

From Middle English fathome, fadom, fadme (“unit of length of about six feet; depth of six

From Middle English fathome, fadom, fadme (“unit of length of about six feet; depth of six feet for nautical soundings; (loosely) cubit; ell”) [and other forms], from Old English fæþm, fæþme (“encircling or outstretched arms, bosom, embrace; envelopment; control, grasp, power; fathom (unit of measurement); cubit”) [and other forms], from Proto-West Germanic *faþm (“outstretched arms, embrace; fathom (unit of measurement)”), from Proto-Germanic *faþmaz (“outstretched arms, embrace; fathom (unit of measurement)”), from Proto-Indo-European *pet-, *peth₂- (“to spread out; to fly”).

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