sense

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   One of the natural powers (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) by which we perceive the world.

   In the dark, we had to depend on our senses of touch, smell, and hearing.

2. 2
   noun

   The ability to think and act in a reasonable, practical way; good judgement.

   Common sense told her not to walk home alone so late.

3. 3
   noun

   A general feeling or awareness of something.

   The new lock gave her a real sense of security.

4. 4
   verb

   To become aware of something without being told, often by instinct.

   I sensed their hostility towards me the moment I walked in.

Common collocations

• make sense Verb + noun
• common sense Adjective + noun
• strong sense Adjective + noun
• develop a sense Verb + noun
• deep sense Adjective + noun
• keen sense Adjective + noun

From Middle English sense, from Old French sens, sen, san (“sense, perception, direction”); partly from Latin sēnsus (“sensation, feeling, meaning”), from sentiō (“feel, perceive”); partly of Germanic origin (whence also Occitan sen, Italian senno), from Vulgar Latin *sennus (“sense, reason, way”), from Frankish *sinn ("reason, judgement, mental faculty, way, direction"; whence also Dutch zin, German Sinn, Swedish sinne, Norwegian sinn). Both Latin and Germanic from Proto-Indo-European *sent- (“to feel”).

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