noun.
the act of grasping or gripping something, especially with the hands
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
noun.
the act of gripping something firmly with the hands (or the tentacles)
Word Usage
"Alfred North Whitehead, in Process and Reality, introduces the notion of prehension, that interiority is fundamental all the way down to the most basic levels of the universe."