Apreender

Apreender is a Portuguese verb meaning to seize, confiscate, or apprehend. It is used in contexts where someone or something is taken into custody or control by authorities, as well as in everyday language to indicate grasping or understanding something. In legal and police usage, apreender can refer to seizing goods, documents, or a person, as in apreender mercadorias or apreender um suspeito.

In practice, apreender emphasizes the act of capture or seizure—often of material objects or evidence—rather than the formal custody implied by prender. It is commonly found in contexts such as customs enforcement, judicial seizures, or police actions to seize contraband, weapons, or documents. The resulting action is the apreensão (seizure), and those involved may be described as apreendido or apreendida.

Etymologically, apreender derives from Latin apprehendere, through Romance languages, sharing roots with related terms in other languages. The noun apreensão covers several senses, including seizure, understanding, and apprehension in the sense of fear or concern, depending on context. This polysemy can lead to confusion with other Portuguese terms such as compreensão (comprehension) or medo (fear).

Notes on usage: apreender and its noun apreensão are standard in legal, customs, and formal writing, as well as in news reporting about seizures or arrests. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer prender for detaining a person or confiscar for taking possession of goods. The exact sense is usually evident from surrounding context.