Discern

Discern
Discern Dis*cern", v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Discerned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Discerning}.] [F. discerner, L. discernere, discretum; dis- + cernere to separate, distinguish. See {Certain}, and cf. {Discreet}.] 1. To see and identify by noting a difference or differences; to note the distinctive character of; to discriminate; to distinguish. [1913 Webster]

To discern such buds as are fit to produce blossoms. --Boyle. [1913 Webster]

A counterfeit stone which thine eye can not discern from a right stone. --Robynson (More's Utopia). [1913 Webster]

2. To see by the eye or by the understanding; to perceive and recognize; as, to discern a difference. [1913 Webster]

And [I] beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding. --Prov. vii. 7. [1913 Webster]

Our unassisted sight . . . is not acute enough to discern the minute texture of visible objects. --Beattie. [1913 Webster]

I wake, and I discern the truth. --Tennyson.

Syn: To perceive; distinguish; discover; penetrate; discriminate; espy; descry; detect. See {Perceive}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Discern — Dis*cern , v. i. 1. To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood. [1913 Webster] More than sixscore thousand that cannot discern between their right hand their left. Jonah iv …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • discern — [di sʉrn′, dizʉrn′] vt. [ME discernen < OFr discerner < L discernere < dis , apart + cernere, to separate: see HARVEST] 1. to separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different 2. to perceive or… …   English World dictionary

  • discern — I (detect with the senses) verb appreciate, apprehend, apprehend clearly, ascertain, awake to, become acquainted with, become apprized, become aware of, become informed, behold, cast eyes on, catch sight of, cognize, command a view of, comprehend …   Law dictionary

  • discern — (v.) late 14c., from O.Fr. discerner (13c.) distinguish (between), separate (by sifting), and directly from L. discernere to separate, set apart, divide, distribute; distinguish, perceive, from dis off, away (see DIS (Cf. dis )) + cernere… …   Etymology dictionary

  • discern — perceive, descry, observe, notice, remark, note, espy, behold, *see, view, survey, contemplate Analogous words: *discover, ascertain: divine, apprehend, anticipate, *foresee: pierce, penetrate, probe (see ENTER) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • discern — [v] catch sight of; recognize and understand anticipate, apprehend, ascertain, behold, descry, detect, determine, difference, differentiate, discover, discrepate, discriminate, distinguish, divine, espy, extricate, figure out, find out, focus,… …   New thesaurus

  • discern — ► VERB 1) recognize or find out. 2) distinguish with difficulty by sight or with the other senses. DERIVATIVES discernible adjective. ORIGIN Latin discernere, from cernere to separate …   English terms dictionary

  • discern — [[t]dɪsɜ͟ː(r)n[/t]] discerns, discerning, discerned 1) VERB If you can discern something, you are aware of it and know what it is. [FORMAL] [V n] You need a long series of data to be able to discern such a trend... [V wh] It was hard to discern… …   English dictionary

  • discern — UK [dɪˈsɜː(r)n] / US [dɪˈsɜrn] verb [transitive] Word forms discern : present tense I/you/we/they discern he/she/it discerns present participle discerning past tense discerned past participle discerned formal 1) to notice something, especially… …   English dictionary

  • discern — verb ADVERB ▪ clearly, easily, readily (esp. AmE) ▪ She could clearly discern a figure walking up to the house. ▪ barely (esp. AmE), dimly (esp. BrE), just …   Collocations dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”