[ad. (? through Fr. appréhension, 15th c. in Littré) = L. apprehensiōn-em, n. of action f. apprehend-ĕre to seize upon: see APPREHEND and -ION.] gen. The action of seizing upon, seizure, grasp. As in other adopted words, employed in the mental before the physical senses, for which native Eng. and OFr. words were in use.
I. Physical.
1. The action of laying hold of or seizing (physically); prehension, grasping. rare.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. v. 115 (J.). [A lobster’s claw is] a part of apprehension, and whereby they hold or seize upon their prey.
1835. Southw. Smith, Philos. Health, I. v. 262. The superior extremities [of the body] are organs of apprehension.
2. Law. The action of taking manual possession.
1832. Austin, Jurispr. (1879), II. lvi. 928. The absolute property rei singulæ cannot be acquired commonly without an apprehension or a taking possession of the thing by the acquirer.
1875. Poste, Gaius, II. 203. Either constructive delivery (traditio) or apprehension (perceptio).
3. The seizure of a person, a ship, etc., in the name of justice or authority; arrest. Const. subjective gen. of the actor, objective gen. of the person arrested, the latter being more frequent: ‘The king’s apprehension of Pym,’ ‘Pym’s apprehension by the king.’
1577. Harrison, England, I. II. iv. 103. If they be taken the third time and have not since their second apprehension applied themselves to labour.
1614. Sir R. Dudley, in Fortesc. Pap., 6. Your answer tuiching his Majestys aprehension of the forcible vessell.
1881. Chamb. Jrnl., No. 916. 457/1. A warrant for his apprehension was obtained.
II. Mental.
† 4. gen. The action of learning, the laying hold or acquirement of knowledge. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. vi. (1495), 111. Meane moeuynge of the eye is to be praysed, for it sygnefyeth easy apprehensyon.
1641. Wilkins, Math. Magick, I. i. 3. The ancient Philosophers esteemed it a great part of wisdome to conceale their learning from vulgar apprehension or use.
5. The action of laying hold of with the senses; conscious perception. arch.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 178. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The eare more quicke of apprehension makes.
1635. Austin, Medit., 9. She [the Virgin] had a corporall, as well as a mental apprehension of the Messenger.
1732. Law, Serious Call, xi. 177. Invisible to his Eyes, being too glorious for the apprehension of flesh and blood.
† 6. The action of ‘feeling’ anything emotionally; sensitiveness or sensibility to; sympathetic perception. Obs. rare.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iii. § 6. [They] have not their thoughts established … in the love and apprehension of duty.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 15. If men did conscionably and in right apprehension of Gods goodnes blesse their meate.
1644. Heylin, Laud, I. 206. The Queen … out of a deep apprehension of that lamentable Accident, forthwith directed [etc.].
7. The action of grasping with the intellect; the forming of an idea; conception; intellection.
1597. J. Payne, Royal Exch., 25. Better … ys a short and diligent readinge … then to turn manie leaves with small regard and less apprehention.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., xiii. 71, (J.). Simple apprehension, which denotes no more, then the souls naked Intellection of an object.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., 177, ¶ 3. My quickness of apprehension, and celerity of reply.
1866. Dk. Argyll, Reign of Law, ii. 110. A clear apprehension of this Abstract Idea was necessary to a right understanding.
1870. Bowen, Logic, i. 28. Simple Apprehension corresponds very nearly to that sort of thinking which we now call Conception.
8. The apprehensive faculty; ability to understand; understanding.
1570. Dee, Math. Præf., 4. So … dull is our apprehension.
1607. Dekker, Westw. Hoe, III. i. O the quick apprehension of women.
1636. Heywood, Love’s Mistr., Pref. It was above my apprehension to conceive.
1851. Hawthorne, Snow Image (1879), 214. How forcibly the lapse of time … came home to my apprehension.
9. The product of grasping with the mind; a conception or idea; also, the abiding result of such conception; a view, notion or opinion entertained upon any subject.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 763/2. We haue no apprehension of ye heauenly life, when we are thus tyed to this world.
1670. Baxter, Cure Ch.-Div., 19. Fix not too rashly upon your first apprehensions.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 10, ¶ 4. Which according to vulgar apprehension swept away his legs.
1774. Reid, Aristot. Log., ii. § 1. The first part of logic treats of simple apprehensions and of terms.
1871. R. W. Dale, Ten Command., Introd. 11. We must obey the moral law to have a true apprehension of it.
† 10. The conception or idea expressed by a word; meaning, sense. Obs. rare.
1615. T. Adams, Leaven, 102. ‘The kingdom of Heaven’ … hath a diverse sense and apprehension in the Scriptures.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. iv. 15. Other wayes there are of deceit which consist not, in false apprehension of words.
11. The representation to oneself of what is still future; anticipation; chiefly of things adverse.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., III. i. 78. The sence of death is most in apprehension.
1693. Owen, Holy Spirit, 12. Sorrow had filled their Hearts upon the Apprehension of his Departure.
1719. Waterland, Vind. Christ’s Div., Pref. A ij. The following Queries were drawn up … when I had not the least apprehension of their appearing in print.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxix. (1856), 358. Leaving us to the thaws of summer and the stormy winds of September before our imprisonment ceases. The apprehension has no mirth in it.
12. Fear as to what may happen; dread.
1648. Sanderson, 21 Serm., Ad Aul. xvi. (1673), 227. The bare fears of such things and apprehensions of their approach.
1709. Tatler, No. 108, ¶ 1. I … looked about with some Apprehension … for Fear any Foreigner should be present.
1825. T. Jefferson, Autobiog., Wks. 1859, I. 67. Their representatives at Paris expressed apprehensions that France would interfere.
1836. Macgillivray, Humboldt’s Trav., xviii. 263. Not without apprehension of being bitten by serpents.
