appréhender

dread, apprehend

verb ah-preh-ahn-DEH Rare

Origin: Latin 'apprehendere' (to seize, grasp)

Also means

arrest, apprehend (law)

Usage Note

Appréhender has two distinct registers: in everyday speech it means to dread or approach something with anxiety (j'appréhende cette réunion means 'I'm dreading that meeting'), while in legal language it means to arrest or take into custody. The noun l'appréhension covers both senses — anxiety and the act of seizure.

Examples

"Elle appréhendait les résultats de son examen."

Natural Translation

She was dreading her exam results.

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