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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