1. The depth of a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary across a continuum.
2. The profound truth of a metaphysical manifestation.
1) A depth of 6 feet
2) To think very hard
3) Your Anus. The bcakround behind this meaning comes from when two people were dune boarding and one fell off and loanded on my bum and said that his anus had stretched 6 feet open. now the word fathom is used to describe all bums not just a six foot wide one like his.
noun - a unit of length equal to six feet (approximately 1.8 m), chiefly used in reference to the depth of water.
verb - (1) understand (a difficult problem or an enigmatic person) after much thought. (2) measure the depth of (water).
"sonar says that we're in eighteen fathoms"
"he could scarcely fathom the idea that people actually lived in Las Vegas"
"an attempt to fathom the ocean"
"Charlotte tried to fathom her cat's expression"
"fathoming the ocean"
Main Entry: 1fathΒ·om
Pronunciation: 'fa-th&m
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English fadme, from Old English fæthm outstretched arms, length of the outstretched arms; akin to Old Norse fathmr fathom, Latin patEre to be open, pandere to spread out, Greek petannynai
Date: before 12th century
1 : a unit of length equal to six feet (1.83 meters) used especially for measuring the depth of water
2 : COMPREHENSION
The first year composition students could not fathom another way to write without the use of trite words.