Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words apprehend/apprehensive
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
OP Before stating my question I'd like to go ahead and post the definitions of two words from Meriam-Webster:
ap·pre·hend
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin apprehendere, literally, to seize, from ad- + prehendere to seize -- more at GET
Date: 15th century
transitive senses
1 : ARREST, SEIZE <apprehend a thief>
2 a : to become aware of : PERCEIVE b : to anticipate especially with anxiety, dread, or fear
3 : to grasp with the understanding : recognize the meaning of
intransitive senses : UNDERSTAND, GRASP
apprehensive:
Function: adjective
Date: 14th century
1 : capable of apprehending or quick to do so : DISCERNING
2 : having apprehension : COGNIZANT
3 : viewing the future with anxiety or alarm
My question is, how did apprehensive aquire its connotation of anxiety? Merriam-Webster's first two entries for the word seem much more literal, yet I never hear anybody use "apprehensive" to describe someone who is perceptive or a quick learner. Apprehend, on the other hand, seems to be commonly used both as "to seize" and "to understand."
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,913Posts229,371Members9,182 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 1 members (wofahulicodoc), 787 guests, and 1 robot. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 24
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,561tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,919Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org