Penetrate

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: pen=e=trate

CIDE DICTIONARY

Penetrate, v. t. [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.].

•  To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates darkness.  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]

Penetrate, v. i. 

 To pass; to make way; to pierce. Also used figuratively.  [1913 Webster]
"Preparing to penetrate to the north and west."  [1913 Webster]
"Born where Heaven's influence scarce can penetrate."  [1913 Webster]
"The sweet of life that penetrates so near."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Penetrate, v.
1 tr. a find access into or through, esp. forcibly. b (usu. foll. by with) imbue (a person or thing) with; permeate.
2 tr. see into, find out, or discern (a person's mind, the truth, a meaning, etc.).
3 tr. see through (darkness, fog, etc.) (could not penetrate the gloom).
4 intr. be absorbed by the mind (my hint did not penetrate).
5 tr. (as penetrating adj.) a having or suggesting sensitivity or insight (a penetrating remark). b (of a voice etc.) easily heard through or above other sounds; piercing.
6 tr. (of a man) put the penis into the vagina of (a woman).
7 intr. (usu. foll. by into, through, to) make a way.

Derivative

penetrable adj. penetrability n. penetrant adj. & n. penetratingly adv. penetration n. penetrative adj. penetrator n.

Etymology

L penetrare place or enter within f. penitus interior

THESAURUS

Penetrate

affect, auger, be glimpsed, be hep to, be on to, be realized, be remembered, be wise to, benumb, bespread, besprinkle, bite, bore, breathe, brew, broach, catch on to, charge, chill, color, come across, come alive, come home to, come in, come through, comprehend, countersink, crawl with, creep with, cut, dawn on, decoct, descry, diffuse, dig, discern, discover, dredge, drill, drive, dye, ease in, empierce, encroach, enter, entincture, extend throughout, fathom, figure out, fill, find out, fix, flavor, freeze, frost, frostbite, gain entree, get, get across, get at, get into, get over, get through, get to, go deep, go in, go into, go through, go through one, gore, gouge, gouge out, grasp, hit, hole, honeycomb, imbrue, imbue, impale, impregnate, infiltrate, infuse, ingress, inject, inoculate, insert, insinuate, instill, interject, interpenetrate, interpolate, introduce, intromit, invade, jab, knife, lance, leave no void, leaven, make an entrance, make an impression, make out, make way into, melt, melt the heart, move, needle, never be forgotten, nip, numb, obsess, occupy, overrun, overspread, overswarm, pass through, perceive, percolate, perforate, perfuse, permeate, pervade, pierce, pink, plumb, pop in, prick, probe, punch, puncture, put in, rankle, reach, ream, ream out, refrigerate, register, riddle, run through, saturate, season, see, see daylight, see into, see the light, see through, seep in, sense, set in, sink in, skewer, slip in, smart, soak in, soften, spear, spike, spit, stab, steep, stick, stick in, sting, stir, strike, suffuse, swarm with, tap, teem with, temper, throw in, tincture, tinge, touch, touch a chord, transfix, transfuse, transpierce, trepan, trephine, trespass, tuck in, tumble to, uncover, understand, unravel, whip in, wise up to, work out

ROGET THESAURUS

Penetrate

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Ingress

VB have the entree, enter, go into, go in, come into, come in, pour into, pour in, flow into, flow in, creep into, creep in, slip into, slip in, pop into, pop in, break into, break in, burst into, burst in, set foot on, ingress, burst in upon, break in upon, invade, intrude, insinuate itself, interpenetrate, penetrate, infiltrate, find one's way into, wriggle into, worm oneself into, give entrance to, insert.

Passage

VB pass, pass through, perforate, penetrate, permeate, thread, thrid, enfilade, go through, go across, go over, pass over, cut across, ford, cross, pass and repass, work, make one's way, thread one's way, worm one's way, force one's way, make a passage form a passage, cut one's way through, find its way, find its vent, transmit, make way, clear the course, traverse, go over the ground.

Wisdom

VB be intelligent, have all one's wits about one, understand, catch an idea, take in an idea, take a joke, take a hint, see through, see at a glance, see with half an eye, see far into, see through a millstone, penetrate, discern, foresee, discriminate, know what's what, listen to reason.