Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Anxious or fearful about the future; uneasy.
- adjective Archaic Capable of understanding and quick to apprehend.
from The Century Dictionary.
- In the habit of seizing; ready to catch or seize; desirous to lay hold of: used literally and figuratively.
- Quick to learn or understand; quick of apprehension.
- Realizing; conscious; cognizant.
- In a state of apprehension or fear; feeling alarm; fearful.
- Inclined to believe or suspect; suspicious: as, I am apprehensive that he does not understand me.
- Perceptive; feeling; sensitive.
- In metaphysics, relating to simple apprehension.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Capable of apprehending, or quick to do so; apt; discerning.
- adjective rare Knowing; conscious; cognizant.
- adjective Relating to the faculty of apprehension.
- adjective Anticipative of something unfavorable' fearful of what may be coming; in dread of possible harm; in expectation of evil.
- adjective rare Sensible; feeling; perceptive.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Anticipating something with
anxiety orfear . - adjective
Perceptive ; quick to learn; intelligent; capable of grasping with the mind or intellect.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective mentally upset over possible misfortune or danger etc
- adjective quick to understand
- adjective in fear or dread of possible evil or harm
Etymologies
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Examples
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For a moment, Helen stood very still, her expression apprehensive, her hands rubbing the ball, exploring the slickness of the horsehide and the ridges of the stitching.
DIAMOND RUBY Joseph Wallace 2010
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For a moment, Helen stood very still, her expression apprehensive, her hands rubbing the ball, exploring the slickness of the horsehide and the ridges of the stitching.
DIAMOND RUBY Joseph Wallace 2010
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For a moment, Helen stood very still, her expression apprehensive, her hands rubbing the ball, exploring the slickness of the horsehide and the ridges of the stitching.
DIAMOND RUBY Joseph Wallace 2010
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Mademoiselle Avrillion put down her basket and smoothed her skirt, her expression apprehensive.
The Last Great Dance on Earth Sandra Gulland 2001
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Mademoiselle Avrillion put down her basket and smoothed her skirt, her expression apprehensive.
The Last Great Dance on Earth Sandra Gulland 2001
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Margaret tells me that she was apprehensive from the start of the voyage -- and even before.
CHAPTER XXXIX 2010
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But, of course, this made Jennie and Susie feel very nervous and also a big word called apprehensive, which is the same thing.
Bully and Bawly No-Tail Howard Roger Garis 1917
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Margaret tells me that she was apprehensive from the start of the voyage -- and even before.
Chapter 39 1914
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Nicholas Hoult does look genuinely apprehensive, which is annoying because he's been perfectly at ease until now.
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Nicholas Hoult does look genuinely apprehensive, which is annoying because he's been perfectly at ease until now.
oroboros commented on the word apprehensive
We might be apprehensive when we aren't apprehensive of what's going on.
November 18, 2009