pen•e•trate
Pronunciation: (pen'i-trāt"), [key] — v., -trat•ed, -trat•ing.
—v.t. - to pierce or pass into or through: The bullet penetrated the wall. The fog lights penetrated the mist.
- to enter the interior of: to penetrate a forest.
- to enter and diffuse itself through; permeate.
- to arrive at the truth or meaning of; understand; comprehend: to penetrate a mystery.
- to obtain a share of (a market): to penetrate the Canadian coffee market.
- to affect or impress (the mind or feelings) deeply.
- to extend influence, usually peacefully, into the affairs of (another country).
—v.i. - to enter, reach, or pass through something, as by piercing: We penetrated to the interior of the Kasbah.
- to be diffused through something.
- to understand or read the meaning of something.
- to have a deep effect or impact on someone.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.