Per-cēive', v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. PERCEIVED; p. pr. & vb. n. PERCEIVING.] [O. Fr. percevoir, percever, percevoir, perçoivre, perchoiere, Pr. percebre, Sp. percebir, percibir, Pg. perceber, O. It. percipere, Lat. percipere, from the prefix per and capere, to take, receive.]
Sense 1. To obtain knowledge of through the senses; to receive impressions from by means of the bodily organs; to cognize the sensible qualities of.
When a ship just begins to appear on the utmost verge of the horizon, we may at first be dubious whether we perceive it or not. Reid.
Sense 2. To take intellectual cognizance of; to apprehend as presented to the mind; to be convinced of by direct intuition; to see to be true; to note; to remark; to behold; to discern.
Fair lady, perceive I speak sincerely. Shak.
Till we ourselves see it with our own eyes, and perceive it by our own understanding, we are in the dark. Locke.
Sense 3. To be affected by; to receive impressions from.
The upper regions of the air perceive the collection of the matter of tempests before the air below. Bacon.
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 a man and a woman afar off without being able to discern which is the one and which the other. Discern, however, is more commonly used in a figurative sense. We perceive that which is clear or obvious; we discern that which is remote, or which requires much attention to get an idea of it. “We perceive by a person's looks and words what he intends; we discern the drift of his actions. We perceive light, darkness, colors, or the truth or falsehood of any thing. We discern characters, motives, the tendency and consequences of actions, &c. A child may perceive according to the quickness of its senses; it is the act of a man to discern according to the measure of his knowledge and understanding.” Crabb.