Com'pre-hēnd', v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. COMPREHENDED; p. pr. & vb. n. COMPREHENDING.] [Lat. comprehendere, from com and prehendere, to grasp, seize, from præ, before, and the root hendere, akin to Gr. χαδάνειν, to hold, and A-S. hentan, Goth. hinthan, to catch, seize, O. Sp. & Pg. comprehender, Sp. comprender, It. comprendere, Fr. & Pr. comprendre.]
Sense 1. To take in or include by construction or implication; to comprise; to imply.
The virtues required in the heroic poem ... are comprehended all in this one word, Discretion. Hobbes.
Sense 2. To take into the mind; to grasp with the understanding; to apprehend the meaning of.
“At a loss to comprehend the question.” W. Irving.
Synonyms—To apprehend; contain; include; embrace; comprise; imply; conceive; understand. See APPREHEND.