sense

sense [sens]

n.

[Fr sens < L sensus < sentire, to feel, perceive: see SEND¹]

1. the ability of the nerves and the brain to receive and react to stimuli, as light, sound, impact, constriction, etc.; specif., any of five faculties of receiving impressions through specific bodily organs and the nerves associated with them (sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing)

2. the senses considered as a total function of the bodily organism, as distinguished from intellect, movement, etc.

3.

a) feeling, impression, or perception through the senses [a sense of warmth, pain, etc.]

b) a generalized feeling, awareness, or realization [a sense of longing]

4. an ability to judge, discriminate, or estimate external conditions, sounds, etc. [a sense of direction, pitch, etc.]

5. an ability to feel, appreciate, or understand some quality [a sense of humor, honor, etc.]

6.

a) the ability to think or reason soundly; normal intelligence and judgment, often as reflected in behavior

b) soundness of judgment or reasoning [some sense in what he says]

c) something wise, sound, or reasonable [to talk sense]

d) [pl.] normal ability to reason soundly [to come to one's senses]

7.

a) meaning; esp., any of several meanings conveyed by or attributed to the same word or phrase

b) essential signification; gist [to grasp the sense of a remark]

8. the general opinion, sentiment, or attitude of a group

9. Math. either of two contrary directions that may be specified, as clockwise or counterclockwise for the circumference of a circle, positive or negative for a line segment, etc.

vt.

sensed, sensing

1. to be or become aware of [to sense another's hostility]

2. to comprehend; understand

3. to detect automatically, as by sensors

——————

in a sense

1. to a limited extent or degree

2. in one aspect

——————

make sense

to be intelligible or logical