Meaning of Fathom | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A man's armspan, generally reckoned to be six feet (about 1.8 metres). Later used to measure the depth of water, but now generally replaced by the metre outside American usage.
   US, historical
2. An internationally standardized version of this unit, the international fathom (= 1.8288 metres = 6 feet).
   US, historical
3. A measure of distance to shore: the nearest point to shore at which the water depth is the value quoted.
   US
4. An unspecified depth.
   figuratively, in-plural
5. Depth of insight; mental reach or scope.
   archaic, figuratively, obsolete
6. The act of stretching out one's arms away from the sides of the torso so that they make a straight line perpendicular to the body.
   obsolete
7. Someone or something that is embraced.
   obsolete
8. Control, grasp.
   figuratively, obsolete

Equivalents

Examples

“[T]he ſhipmen deemed that they drew neere to ſome countrey: And ſounded, and found it twentie fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they ſounded againe, and found it fifteene fathoms.”

“Full fadom fiue thy Father lies, Of his bones are Corrall made: Those are pearles that were his eies, Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a Sea-change Into someting rich, & strange”

“After we'd rowed for an hour, we found ourselves stranded ten fathoms from shore.”

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

“Another of his fathome they haue not / To leade their buſineſſe, […]”

“Thy Bride, thy choice, thy vvife, / She that is novv thy fadom, […] Kneele at thy feete, obay in euerie thing, / So euerie Father is a priuate King.”

“So; novv knovv I vvhere I am, me thinkes already / I graſpe beſt part of the Autumnian bleſſing / In my contentious fadome, […]”

“Yes: / you have blovvne his ſvvolne pride to that vaſtnes, / as he beleeves the earth is in his fadom, / this makes him qute forget his humble Being: […]”

CEFR level