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1. Dictionary

   fathom

   /ˈfað(ə)m/

   noun

   • 1. a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 metres), 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: "the locals could not fathom out the reason behind his new-found prosperity" 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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   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

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

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › fathom

   Definitions of fathom. noun. a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth. synonyms: fthm. see more. noun. (mining) a unit of volume (equal to 6 cubic feet) used in measuring bodies of ore. synonyms: fthm. see more. verb. measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line. synonyms: sound. see more. verb.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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)

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › fathomFATHOM | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › fathom

   • Cached

   FATHOM definition: 1. to be able to understand something after thinking about it a lot: 2. a unit for measuring the…. Learn more.