com·pre·hend

verb

/ˌkɒmprɪˈhend/

/ˌkɑːmprɪˈhend/

(formal) [intransitive, transitive] often used in negative sentences

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they comprehend	/ˌkɒmprɪˈhend/ /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhend/
he / she / it comprehends	/ˌkɒmprɪˈhendz/ /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhendz/
past simple comprehended	/ˌkɒmprɪˈhendɪd/ /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhendɪd/
past participle comprehended	/ˌkɒmprɪˈhendɪd/ /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhendɪd/
-ing form comprehending	/ˌkɒmprɪˈhendɪŋ/ /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhendɪŋ/

to understand something fully理解；领悟；懂
- He stood staring at the dead body, unable to comprehend.他站在那里，盯着那具尸体，弄不明白是怎么回事。
- comprehend something The infinite distances of space are too great for the human mind to comprehend.太空的广阔无垠是人类无法理解的。
- comprehend how/why, etc… She could not comprehend how someone would risk people's lives in that way.她不明白怎么会有人那样拿人的生命去冒险。
- comprehend that… He simply could not comprehend that she could be guilty.他就是搞不懂她怎么会有罪。
Synonyms understand
understandsee ▪ get ▪ follow ▪ grasp ▪ comprehendThese words all mean to know or realize something, for example why something happens, how something works or what something means.
understand to know or realize the meaning of words, a language, what somebody says, etc.; to know or realize how or why something happens, how it works or why it is important:
I don’t understand the instructions.我不懂这些指令的意思。
Doctors still don’t understand much about the disease.医生对这种疾病还了解不多。
see to understand what is happening, what somebody is saying, how something works or how important something is:
‘It opens like this.’ ‘Oh, I see.’“这样就打开了。”“哦，我明白了。”
Oh yes, I see what you mean.噢，我明白你的意思了。
get (informal) to understand a joke, what somebody is trying to tell you, or a situation that they are trying to describe:
She didn’t get the joke.她听不懂那个笑话。
I don’t get you.我搞不懂你的意思。
follow to understand an explanation, a story or the meaning of something:
Sorry—I don’t quite follow.抱歉，我没太听懂（你的话）。
The plot is almost impossible to follow.故事情节几乎叫人看不懂。
grasp to come to understand a fact, an idea or how to do something:
They failed to grasp the importance of his words.他们没有理解他的话的重要性。
understand or grasp?You can use understand or grasp for the action of realizing the meaning or importance of something for the first time: It’s a difficult concept for children to understand/grasp. Only understand can be used to talk about languages, words or writing: I don’t grasp French/the instructions.
comprehend (often used in negative statements) (formal) to understand a fact, idea or reason:
The concept of infinity is almost impossible for the human mind to comprehend.无穷的概念几乎是人类的大脑无法理解的。
Patterns
- to understand/see/get/follow/grasp/comprehend what/why/how…
- to understand/see/grasp/comprehend that…
- to understand/see/get/grasp the point/idea (of something)
- to be easy/difficult/hard to understand/see/follow/grasp/comprehend
- to fully understand/see/grasp/comprehend something
Extra Examples
- She could barely comprehend what was happening to her.她几乎无法理解发生在她身上的事。
- She failed to comprehend the seriousness of the situation.她没有意识到形势有多严峻。
- She could not comprehend how anyone could endanger human life in that way.她无法理解怎么会有人以这种方式危及人的生命。
- The concept of infinity is almost impossible for the human mind to comprehend.无穷的概念几乎是人类的大脑无法理解的。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- fully
- barely
- easily
- …
verb + comprehend
- be able to
- be unable to
- cannot
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French comprehender, or Latin comprehendere, from com- ‘together’ + prehendere ‘grasp’.