Forms: 1 fæðmian, 3 fadme, 4 faþme, 6–7 fadom(e, fathame, 7 fathome, 7– fathom. [OE. fæðmian = OHG. fademôn, ON. faþma (Icel. faðma, Da. favne, Sw. famna):—OTeut. *faþmôjan, f. *faþmo- FATHOM sb.]
1. trans. To encircle with extended arms.
c. 1300. Havelok, 1295.
| And mine armes weren so longe, | |
| That i fadmede, al at ones, | |
| Denemark, with mine longe bones. |
1637. Pocklington, Altare Christianum, 91. It contained too many Cubits for him to compasse, or fathome it round about.
1646. J. Hall, Horæ Vac., 71. No man ought to graspe more then he can well fathome, for so he shall have his labour answered by but small profit.
1775. in Ash.
1810. J. Hodgson, Let., in Raine, Mem. (1857), I. 65. My ride was amply repaid by a sight of a fine dark broad oak; and such an ash for size, lightness of foliage, and picturesque situation as there is not another in the world. It has ten trunks, each more than I can fathom, and at least eighty feet high, all springing from one main stock.
1828. Scott, Jrnl., II. 187. He talked of the trees which he had planted as being so thick that a man could not fathom them.
transf. and fig. Beowulf, 3133. Hie … leton … flod fæðmian frætwa hyrde.
a. 1000. Andreas, 1574 (Gr.). Wæter fæðmedon.
1626. Massinger, Rom. Actor, V. i.
| Let proud mortality but look on Cæsar, | |
| Compass’d of late with armies, in his eyes | |
| Carrying both life and death, and in his arms | |
| Fathoming the earth. |
1644. Digby, Nat. Bodies, Ded. (1658), 15. Flashy wits … cannot fadom the whole extent of a large discourse.
† b. To clasp or embrace (a person). To fathom together: to embrace mutually. Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 309. Frendez fellen in fere faþmed to-geder.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 145. Fadmyn (fadomyn, P.), ulno.
1629. T. Adams, The Fatall Banket, Shot, Wks. 1861, I. 242. Instead of lascivious Delilahs, that fathomed him in the arms of lust, behold adders, toads, serpents, crawling on his bosom.
2. Of two or more persons; To encircle by extending the arms in line, with the view of measuring the girth. Obs. exc. arch.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 120. Owr men measuringe manye of these trees, founde theym to bee of suche biggnes, that seuen men, ye sumetymes eight, holdinge hande in hande with theyr armes streached furthe, were scarsely able too fathame them aboute.
1652–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., III. (1682), 148. Stocks of Vines … as big in bulk as two men can fathom.
1724. R. Falconer, Voy. (1769), 135. We met with several fine large Cedar Trees, and one particularly so large, that Mr. Musgrave and I cou’d but just fathom it with our Hands joyn’d.
1874. G. W. Dasent, Tales from Fjeld, 261. We will fathom it [a tree] and then we shall soon see.
b. Of one person: To measure in fathoms by means of the two outstretched arms. rare.
1680. Play-bill, in Rendle & Norman, Inns Old Southwk. He [the Gyant] now reaches ten foot and a half, fathoms near eight feet, spans fifteen inches.
1785. Burns [see FATHOM sb. 2 a].
† 3. intr. To fathom about: to try what the arms will take in; to grope about. Obs. rare.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 273.
| Þer he festnes þe fete & fathmeȝ aboute, | |
| & stod vp in his stomak, þat stank as þe deuel. |
4. trans. To measure with a fathom-line; to ascertain the depth of (water); to sound.
1634. Brereton, Trav. (1844), 5. Fathoming the depth of the water over against Brill, we found [etc.].
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 253. In other places I believe it [the Ocean] is not, or at least never hitherto has been fathomed.
1721–1800. in Bailey.
1860. Maury, Phys. Geog. Sea, xiii. § 563. Attempts to fathom the ocean, both by sound and pressure.
fig. 1613. Hieron, Spirit. Sonne-ship ii., Serm., 372. This loue, to bee Sonnes, who can fadome it?
1642. R. Carpenter, Experience, V. xvii. 314. O God, who can fadome thy eternity?
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 742.
| To sound the depths, and fathom where it went, | |
| The Peoples hearts. |
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., VI. § 17. Things, to our wisdom unaccountable, may nevertheless proceed from an abyss of Wisdom which our line cannot fathom.
1875. Hamerton, The Intellectual Life, VIII. i. 281. There is a certain French nobleman whose ignorance I have frequent opportunities of fathoming.
b. To get to the bottom of, dive into, penetrate, see through, thoroughly understand.
1625. Massinger, New Way, V. i.
| The politic | |
| And cunning statesman, that believes he fathoms | |
| The counsels of all Kingdoms on the earth, | |
| Is by simplicity oft over-reach’d. |
1686. J. Smith, Baroscope, 91. In Metrology there are undoubtedly some concurring Causes that may be very difficult for Human Wit to Fathom.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. ix. 400. This plausible tale gave the Commodore great concern, and made him apprehend that there was some treachery designed him, which he could not yet fathom.
1781. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, May. [His] character I am at this moment unable to fathom.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 443. He [Henry VII.] was sagacious and circumspect, could conceal his own designs and fathom those of others.
1853. C. Brontë, Villette, xxxvii. (1876), 416. I saw something in that lad’s eye I never quite fathomed.
5. intr. To take soundings. lit. and fig. Also, † To fathom into: to enquire into.
1607. Tourneur, Rev. Trag., I. iii.
| Now, sir, wert thou as secret as thou’rt subtil | |
| And deepely fadom’d into all estates, | |
| I would embrace thee for a neere employment. |
1751. R. Paltock, P. Wilkins (1884), I. 84. When fathoming, I could find no bottom.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), III. VI. ii. 389. The philosopher dwelt alone in his transcendental world; he went fathoming on, fearless and unreproved, in the very abysses of human thought.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 537.
| I can fathom, by no plumb-line sunk in life’s apparent laws, | |
| How I may in any instance fix where change should meetly fall. |
