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1. Dictionary

   Fath·om

   /ˈfaT͟Həm/

   

   noun

   • 1. a unit of length equal to six feet (approximately 1.8 m), chiefly used in reference to the depth of water: "sonar says that we're in eighteen fathoms"

   verb

   • 1. understand (a difficult problem or an enigmatic person) after much thought: "he couldn't fathom why she was being so anxious" Similar understandcomprehendwork outfathom outmake sense ofgraspcatchfollowperceivemake outpenetratedivinesearch outferret outpuzzle outtake inassimilateabsorbget to the bottom ofinterpretdecipherdecodedisentangleuntangleunravelpiece togetherinformal:make head or tail oftake on boardget a fix onget/catch the drift oftumble tocrackdiggetget the pictureget the messagesee what's whattwigsuss (out)savvyrare:cognize
   • 2. measure the depth of (water): "an attempt to fathom the ocean" Similar measure the depth ofsoundplumbprobegaugeestimate

   Word Origin Old Englishfæthm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vadem, vaam and German Faden ‘six feet’. The original sense was ‘something which embraces’, (plural) ‘the outstretched arms’; hence, a unit of measurement based on the span of the outstretched arms, later standardized to six feet.

   Derivatives

   • 1. fathomable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 14

   • F

     4

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   • H

     4

   • O

     1

   • M

     3

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2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › fathomFathom Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › fathom

   • Cached

   The meaning of FATHOM is a unit of length equal to six feet (1.83 meters) used especially for measuring the depth of water —sometimes used in the singular when qualified by a number. How to use fathom in a sentence.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishFATHOM | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   FATHOM definition: 1. a unit for measuring the depth of water, equal to 1.8 metres or 6 feet 2. to discover the…. Learn more.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › fathomFATHOM Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › fathom

   • Cached

   Fathom definition: a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 meters): used chiefly in nautical measurements. Abbreviation. See examples of FATHOM used in a sentence.

5. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › fathomFathom - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › fathom

   To fathom something is to understand it thoroughly. It's usually used in the negative, as in "I can't fathom why he doesn't want to go along with us." Fathom is from Middle English fadme, from Old English fæthm, "outstretched arms."

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › fathomFATHOM | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › fathom

   • Cached

   FATHOM meaning: 1. a unit for measuring the depth of water, equal to 1.8 metres or 6 feet 2. to discover the…. Learn more.

7. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishFATHOM definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   4 days ago · A fathom is a measurement of 1.8 metres or 6 feet, used when referring to the depth of water.

8. www.thefreedictionary.com › fathomFathom - definition of fathom by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › fathom

   • Cached

   n. 1. (Units) a unit of length equal to six feet (1.829 metres), used to measure depths of water. 2. (Mining & Quarrying) mining a unit of volume usually equal to six cubic feet, used in measuring ore bodies. 3. (Forestry) forestry a unit of volume equal to six cubic feet, used for measuring timber. vb ( tr)