Fathom
/ˈfæθəm/
nounverbB2
Definition
As a noun, a fathom is a unit used to measure the depth of water, equal to six feet (about 1.8 meters). As a verb, to fathom means to understand something completely or to figure it out after thinking carefully. It often refers to understanding something difficult or mysterious.
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See It in Action
Noun: Unit of depth (mainly water)
- •The lake is ten fathoms deep.
- •Sailors measured the ocean depth in fathoms.
- •The rope was marked every fathom to check how deep the water was.
Verb: To understand fully or figure out
- •I can't fathom why he made that decision.
- •She finally fathomed the meaning of the poem.
- •It’s hard to fathom how the machine works without instructions.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "fathom" like "understand" (A1 word), but deeper—like diving into the water to see clearly below
- ✓Picture a deep ocean where you measure how far down the water goes using a rope marked in fathoms
- ✓It's the feeling when you finally solve a hard puzzle or understand a secret after thinking a lot
- ✓Sounds like "FATH-um" → imagine a person trying to pull up a heavy bucket from deep water to see what's inside
- ✓In stories, sailors use fathoms to know how deep the sea is, helping them avoid danger
- ✓NOT like "guess" (a quick or unclear idea), "fathom" means a full, careful understanding
- ✓NOT like "measure" in general, a fathom is a specific unit for water depth
- ✓NOT like "see" (just looking), "fathom" means to understand what is hidden or unclear, like reading between the lines
Try Other Words
- •Measure: to find the size or amount of something (Use when talking about size or distance, but not deep understanding)
- •Grasp: to understand (Use when you want to say you understand something, often quickly)
- •Comprehend: to understand fully (Use in formal situations, similar to fathom but less common)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix) — "fathom" is a root word itself
- •Etymology: From Old English "fæðm," meaning "to embrace" or "encompass," originally referring to the span of outstretched arms
- •Historical development: Used since early English to measure water depth by the length of arms stretched out; later developed the meaning of understanding something by "embracing" it mentally
- •Modern usage: Still used as a unit of depth in nautical settings and as a verb meaning to understand something deeply or fully
Reflect & Connect
•How can measuring the depth of water relate to understanding a difficult idea?
•Have you ever tried to fathom (understand) something that seemed impossible at first? What helped you?
Fill in the blanks
1.Sailors use fathom to ___ the depth of the ocean, which helps them avoid ___.
2.I can't fathom ___ he made such a strange choice without asking anyone.
3.Unlike a quick guess, to fathom something means to ___ it carefully and completely.
4.The lake is about five ___ deep, so swimming there can be dangerous for beginners.
5.When you say you fathom a problem, it means you have ___ all its parts and reasons.
6.The teacher asked if we could fathom the meaning behind the ___ in the story.
7.You usually measure water depth in feet or meters, but sailors prefer to use ___ instead.