PERCEIVE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Perceive

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/pərsˈiv/ Listen

verb

Perceive v. t. (past & past part. perceived; pres. part. perceiving)

1.

To obtain knowledge of through the senses; to receive impressions from by means of the bodily organs; to take cognizance of the existence, character, or identity of, by means of the senses; to see, hear, or feel; as, to perceive a distant ship; to perceive a discord.

2.

To take intellectual cognizance of; to apprehend by the mind; to be convinced of by direct intuition; to note; to remark; to discern; to see; to understand. "Jesus perceived their wickedness." "You may, fair lady, Perceive I speak sincerely." "Till we ourselves see it with our own eyes, and perceive it by our own understandings, we are still in the dark."

3.

To be affected of influented by. (R.) "The upper regions of the air perceive the collection of the matter of tempests before the air here below."

Synonyms: To discern; distinguish; observe; see; feel; know; understand. To Perceive, Discern. To perceive a thing is to apprehend it as presented to the senses or the intellect; to discern is to mark differences, or to see a thing as distinguished from others around it. We may perceive two persons afar off without being able to discern whether they are men or women. Hence, discern is often used of an act of the senses or the mind involving close, discriminating, analytical attention. We perceive that which is clear or obvious; we discern that which requires much attention to get an idea of it. "We perceive light, darkness, colors, or the truth or falsehood of anything. We discern characters, motives, the tendency and consequences of actions, etc."

See images of 'Perceive'

Etymology of 'Perceive'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Perceive" Quotes from Famous Books

... presence of a Power we cannot see, we ought to feel it is equally possible other Powers may exist of which our other senses cannot take cognizance. There is an old proverb—"Seeing is believing"—but you perceive, dear readers, we are forced to believe in the wind though we ...

— The Fairy Godmothers and Other Tales • Mrs. Alfred Gatty

... the Royal Oak was in use, some persons who lost considerably by it, had their losses chiefly occasioned by an argument of which they could not perceive the fallacy. The odds against any particular point of the ball were one and thirty to one, which entitled the adventurers, in case they were winners, to have thirty-two stakes returned, including their own; instead of which, as they ...

— The Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims - Volume II (of II) • Andrew Steinmetz

... Mr Speaker,—We perceive your coming is to present thanks unto us. Know I accept them with no less joy than your loves can desire to offer such a present, and do more esteem it than any treasure or riches; for those we know how to prize, but loyalty, love, and thanks, I account them invaluable; and though ...

— A Book of English Prose - Part II, Arranged for Secondary and High Schools • Percy Lubbock

... "I am glad to perceive this apprehension in you; it may be most salutary," said De Thou, as they rode on. "You are about to enter into contact with power. Before, you did not even conceive it; now you will touch it with your very hand. You will see what it is, and what hand hurls the lightning. Heaven grant that ...

— Serge Panine • Georges Ohnet

... hands with me and said—what do you think he said?—"My Fraulein, when you came in I thought, 'Behold yet one more well-washed, nice-looking, foolish, rich, nothing-at-all English Mees, who is going to waste my time and her money with lessons.' I now perceive that I have to do with an artist. My Fraulein ich gratuliere." And he made me the funniest little solemn bow. I thought ...

— Christine • Alice Cholmondeley

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