pen·e·trate [ pénnə tràyt ](past and past participlepen·e·trat·ed, present participlepen·e·trat·ing, 3rd person present singularpen·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"]
