sens n. & v. --n. 1 a
any of
the special bodily faculties by
which sensation is roused (has keen senses;
has a
dull sense of smell). b sensitiveness of
all or any of
these. 2 the
ability to
perceive or
feel or to be
conscious of the
presence or properties of things. 3 (foll. by of)
consciousness (sense of having
done well; sense of one's
own importance). 4 (often foll. by of) a
quick or
accurate appreciation,
understanding, or
instinct regarding a specified
matter (sense of the
ridiculous; road sense; the
moral sense). b the
habit of basing one's
conduct on
such instinct. 5
practical wisdom or
judgement,
common sense;
conformity to these (has
plenty of sense;
what is the sense of
talking like that?; has
more sense
than to do that). 6 a a
meaning; the
way in which a
word etc. is to be
understood (the sense of the word is
clear; I mean
that in the
literal sense). b intelligibility or coherence or
possession of a meaning. 7 the prevailing
opinion among a
number of
people. 8 (in pl.) a person's
sanity or
normal state of
mind. 9
Math. etc. a a
direction of
movement. b that which distinguishes a
pair of entities which
differ only in that
each is the
reverse of the
other. --v.tr. 1 perceive by a sense or senses. 2 be vaguely
aware of. 3
realize. 4 (of a
machine etc.)
detect. 5 US
understand. øbring a
person to
his or
her senses 1
cure a person of
folly. 2
restore a person to consciousness.
come to one's senses 1
regain consciousness. 2
become sensible after acting foolishly. the
five senses
sight,
hearing,
smell,
taste,
and touch. in a (or one) sense if the
statement is understood in a
particular way (what
you say is
true in a sense). in one's senses
sane.
make sense be
intelligible or
practicable. make sense of
show or
find the meaning of.
man of sense a
sagacious man.
out of one's senses in or
into a state of madness (is out of her senses; frightened
him out of his senses). sense-datum (pl. -data) Philos. an
element of
experience received
through the senses. sense of direction the ability to
know without guidance the direction in which
one is or
should be
moving. sense of
humour see HUMOUR. sense-organ a bodily
organ conveying
external stimuli to the
sensory system.
take leave of one's senses go
mad. take the sense of the
meeting ascertain the prevailing opinion.
under a sense of
wrong feeling wronged. [ME f. L sensus
faculty of feeling, thought, meaning, f. sentire sensfeel]