fathomとは

発音

• IPA^(key): /ˈfæðəm/

名詞

fathom (複数形 fathoms)

1. (obsolete) Grasp, envelopment, control.
2. (units of measure, now usually nautical) An English unit of length for water depth notionally based upon the width of grown man's outstretched arms but standardized as 6 feet (about 1.8 m).

   Synonyms: brace, stade (廃れた用法), orguia (Greek)

   • 1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks, Knopf, →ISBN, page 7:

     At fifty fathoms, the waters of the Southern Ocean are dark blue.

3. (units of measure) Various similar units in other systems.
4. (figuratively) Depth of insight, mental reach or scope.
   • Shakespeare, Othello, Act I, Scene i, ll. 151-2:

     Another of his fathom they have none
     To lead their business.

動詞

fathom (三人称単数 現在形 fathoms, 現在分詞 fathoming, 過去形および過去分詞形 fathomed)

1. (transitive, archaic) To encircle with outstretched arms, especially to take a measurement; to embrace.
2. (transitive) To measure the depth of, take a sounding of.
3. (transitive, figuratively) To get to the bottom of; to manage to comprehend; understand (a problem etc.).

   Synonyms: fathom out, figure out, puzzle out, work out

   I can't for the life of me fathom what this means.

   • 2018 April 10, Daniel Taylor, “Liverpool go through after Mohamed Salah stops Manchester City fightback”, in The Guardian (London)‎^[1]:

     Otamendi’s selection ahead of Vincent Kompany was difficult to fathom and, apart from Fernandinho, City’s line-up was otherwise filled with attacking players.

派生語

• fathomable
• fathometer
• fathomless
• fathom out
• unfathomable

参考

• deep six

Further reading

• fathom in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• fathom in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• fathom at OneLook Dictionary Search
• fathom on Wikipedia.