Definitions

1. verb

to understand or interpret (a difficult idea or concept) as if by measuring its depth

“I’ve been trying to fathom the meaning behind her latest novel.”

2. verb

to measure the depth of (water) with a rope or sounding line

“The sailors used a weighted line to fathom the depth of the lake.”

3. noun

a unit of length equal to six feet, used for measuring the depth of water

“The ship’s captain used a fathom to measure the water depth.”

4. noun

a deep understanding or insight

“Her words gave me a new fathom of the situation.”