[syn: penetration, insight]
3. the act of entering into or through something;
- Example: "the penetration of upper management by women"
4. the ability to make way into or through something;
- Example: "the greater penetration of the new projectiles will result in greater injuries"
5. the depth to which something penetrates (especially the depth reached by a projectile that hits a target);
6. the act (by a man) of inserting his penis into the vagina of a woman;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Penetration \Pen"e*tra`tion\, n. [L. penetratio: cf. F.
p['e]n['e]tration.]
1. The act or process of penetrating, piercing, or entering;
also, the act of mentally penetrating into, or
comprehending, anything difficult.
[1913 Webster]
And to each in ward part,
With gentle penetration, though unseen,
Shoots invisible virtue even to the deep. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
A penetration into the difficulties of algebra.
--Watts.
[1913 Webster]
2. Acuteness; insight; sharp discoverment; sagacity; as, a
person of singular penetration. --Walpole.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Discernment; sagacity; acuteness; sharpness;
discrimination. See Discernment, and Sagacity.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
penetration
n 1: an attack that penetrates into enemy territory [syn:
penetration, incursion]
2: clear or deep perception of a situation [syn: penetration,
insight]
3: the act of entering into or through something; "the
penetration of upper management by women"
4: the ability to make way into or through something; "the
greater penetration of the new projectiles will result in
greater injuries"
5: the depth to which something penetrates (especially the depth
reached by a projectile that hits a target)
6: the act (by a man) of inserting his penis into the vagina of
a woman