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The act of seizing or taking hold of; seizure; as, the hand is an organ of apprehension. Sir T. Browne.

Want of apprehension.

A mistaking or mistake; wrong apprehension of one's meaning of a fact; misconception; misunderstanding.

An apprehension or opinion formed before examination or knowledge. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Remote from apprehension; difficult to be comprehended or understood; recondite; as, abstruse learning. Profound and abstruse topics. Milman.

The quality of being abstruse; difficulty of apprehension. Boyle.

Sudden and great fear; terror. It expresses a stronger impression than fear, or apprehension, perhaps less than terror. He looks behind him with affright, and forward with despair. Goldsmith.

Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear; apprehensive. [Afraid comes after the noun it limits.] "Back they recoiled, afraid." Milton.

Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise. Alarm and resentment spread throughout the camp. Macaulay.

Exciting, or calculated to excite, alarm; causing apprehension of danger; as, an alarming crisis or report. -- A*larm"ing*ly, adv.

An exclamation expressive of sorrow, pity, or apprehension of evil; -- in old writers, sometimes followed by day or white; alas the day, like alack a day, or alas the white.

A first view or glance, or the perception or estimation so obtained; an immediate apprehension or insight, appreciative rather than analytic.

To become visible to the apprehension of the mind; to be known as a subject of observation or comprehension, or as a thing proved; to be obvious or manifest. It doth not yet appear what we shall be. 1 John iii. 2. Of their vain contest appeared no end. Milton.

Relating to the faculty of apprehension. Judgment . . . is implied in every apprehensive act. Sir W. Hamilton.

In an apprehensive manner; with apprehension of danger.

Quickness of apprehension; readiness in learning; docility; as, an aptness to learn is more observable in some children than in others.

Not well advanced in learning; not quick of apprehension; dull; inapt; as, a backward child. "The backward learner." South.

Real; actual; put in execution. [Obs.] Be brought to bodily act. Shak. Bodily fear, apprehension of physical injury.

state or form to another; as, a change of countenance; a change of habits or principles. Apprehensions of a change of dynasty. Hallam. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Job xiv. 14.

Apprehension by the understanding; perception; observation. Within the cognizance and lying under the control of their divine Governor. Bp. Hurd