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Thesaurus: penetrate

To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates darkness.

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  1. v. t. To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates darkness.
  2. v. t. 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.
  3. v. t. 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.
  4. v. i. To pass; to make way; to pierce. Also used figuratively.
  5. v. pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
  6. v. come to understand
  7. v. become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions
  8. v. enter a group or organization in order to spy on the members
  9. v. make one's way deeper into or through
  10. v. insert the penis into the vagina or anus of
  11. v. spread or diffuse through
  12. 1. To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates darkness. 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. The translator of Homer should penetrate himself with a sense of the plainness and directness of Homer's style. M. Arnold. 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. Things which here were too subtile for us to penetrate. Ray. To pass; to make way; to pierce. Also used figuratively. Preparing to penetrate to the north and west. J. R. Green. Born where Heaven's influence scarce can penetrate. Pope. The sweet of life that penetrates so near. Daniel.