noun
sense
sehns
noun
1
One of the physical faculties — sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch — through which the body perceives the world.
"Dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans."
"Losing one sense often sharpens the others."
2
Practical, sound judgment.
"He had the sense to call for help immediately."
3
The meaning of a word or statement.
"The word "bank" has more than one sense."
verb
1
To become aware of something, whether through the senses or intuitively.
"She could sense that something was wrong."
"The animal sensed danger and fled."
How to Use Sense
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCan mean a physical faculty (like smell), sound judgment, the meaning of a word, or the act of noticing something intuitively.
Common pairings
make sense
sense of humor
common sense
sense danger
Word Forms
sensed past tense, senses plural, senses singular
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Etymology
From Old French sens, partly from Latin sensus ("feeling, meaning," from sentiō, "to feel"), partly from a Germanic root meaning "judgment" or "direction."