- 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.
- 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.The translator of Homer should penetrate himself with a sense of the plainness and directness of Homer's style.
- 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.Things which here were too subtile for us to penetrate.
