Definition of Perceive

1. Verb. To become aware of through the senses. "I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon"


2. Verb. Become conscious of. "She finally perceived the futility of her protest"
Specialized synonyms: Sense, Smell, Smell Out
Generic synonyms: Realise, Realize, See, Understand
Derivative terms: Perceptible, Perception, Perceptive, Percipient

Definition of Perceive

1. v. t. 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.

Definition of Perceive

1. Verb. To see, to be aware of, to understand. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Perceive

1. to become aware of through the senses [v -CEIVED, -CEIVING, -CEIVES]

Medical Definition of Perceive

1. 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." (Matt. Xxii. 18) "You may, fair lady, Perceive I speak sincerely." (Shak) "Till we ourselves see it with our own eyes, and perceive it by our own understandings, we are still in the dark." (Locke) 3. To be affected of influented by. "The upper regions of the air perceive the collection of the matter of tempests before the air here below." (Bacon) Synonym: 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, colours, or the truth or falsehood of anything. We discern characters, motives, the tendency and consequences of actions, etc." Origin: OF. Percevoir, perceveir, L. Percipere, perceptum; per (see Per-) + capere to take, receive. See Capacious, and cf. Perception. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Perceive

percarbonate
percarbonates
percarburet
percarbureted
percarburets
percase
perce
perceant
perced
perceiue
perceiv'd
perceivable
perceivableness
perceivably
perceivance
perceive (current term)
perceived
perceived temperature
perceivedness
perceiver
perceivers
perceives
perceiveth
perceiving
percely
percen
percent
percent sign
percentage
percentage point

Literary usage of Perceive

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: To which are Now First Added, I. An by John Locke (1828)
"Thus having the ideas of an obtuse and an acute angled triangle, both drawn from equal bases, and between parallels, I can, by intuitive knowledge, perceive ..."

2. The pilgrim's progress from this world to that which is to come by John Bunyan (1879)
"... Sir, I perceive by the book in my hand, that I am condemned to die^ and after that HeK 9./. to come to judgment; and I find that I am not Job 16.21 ..."

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