'Penetrate' definitions:

Definition of 'penetrate'

From: WordNet
verb
Pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" [syn: penetrate, perforate]
verb
Come to understand [syn: penetrate, fathom, bottom]
verb
Become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions; "It dawned on him that she had betrayed him"; "she was penetrated with sorrow" [syn: click, get through, dawn, come home, get across, sink in, penetrate, fall into place]
verb
Enter a group or organization in order to spy on the members; "The student organization was infiltrated by a traitor" [syn: infiltrate, penetrate]
verb
Make one's way deeper into or through; "The hikers did not manage to penetrate the dense forest"
verb
Insert the penis into the vagina or anus of; "Did the molester penetrate the child?"
verb
Spread or diffuse through; "An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration"; "music penetrated the entire building"; "His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks" [syn: permeate, pervade, penetrate, interpenetrate, diffuse, imbue, riddle]

Definition of 'Penetrate'

From: GCIDE
  • Penetrate \Pen"e*trate\, v. i. To pass; to make way; to pierce. Also used figuratively. [1913 Webster]
  • Preparing to penetrate to the north and west. --J. R. Green. [1913 Webster]
  • Born where Heaven's influence scarce can penetrate. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • The sweet of life that penetrates so near. --Daniel. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Penetrate'

From: GCIDE
  • Penetrate \Pen"e*trate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Penetrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Penetrating.] [L. penetratus, p. p. of penetrare to penetrate; akin to penitus inward, inwardly, and perh. to pens with, in the power of, penus store of food, innermost part of a temple.]
  • 1. To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates darkness. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to touch with feeling; to make sensible; to move deeply; as, to penetrate one's heart with pity. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • The translator of Homer should penetrate himself with a sense of the plainness and directness of Homer's style. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To pierce into by the mind; to arrive at the inner contents or meaning of, as of a mysterious or difficult subject; to comprehend; to understand. [1913 Webster]
  • Things which here were too subtile for us to penetrate. --Ray. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'penetrate'

From: Moby Thesaurus