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penetrate

pen·e·trate [ pénnə tràyt ] (past and past participle pen·e·trat·ed, present participle pen·e·trat·ing, 3rd person present singular pen·e·trates)


verb 
Definition:
 
1. transitive and intransitive verb enter or pass through something: to enter or pass through something, e.g. by piercing it or forcing a way in
The aim of the mission was to penetrate deep into enemy territory.

2. transitive verb spread through something: to enter and spread through something
The fumes had penetrated the entire building.

3. transitive verb get share of market: to succeed in getting a share of a particular market

4. transitive verb infiltrate group: to enter something such as an organization or country, usually secretly, in order to influence or gather information from within

5. transitive verb see into something: to see into or through something that is dark or obscuring

6. transitive verb decipher meaning: to understand or discover the meaning of something
an enigma few were able to penetrate

7. intransitive verb be understood: to be understood or taken in by the mind
It took a few seconds for the news to penetrate.

8. transitive verb insert penis into something: to insert the penis into a vagina or anus

[Mid-16th century. < Latin penetrat-, past participle of penetrare "penetrate" < penitus "inner, innermost"]

pen·e·tra·bil·i·ty [ pènnətrə bíllətee ] noun
pen·e·tra·ble adjective
pen·e·tra·tor noun
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