Library / English Dictionary

PERCEIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become conscious of

Example:

She finally perceived the futility of her protest

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "perceive" is one way to...):

realise; realize; see; understand (perceive (an idea or situation) mentally)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "perceive"):

sense; smell; smell out (become aware of not through the senses but instinctively)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

perceptible (capable of being perceived by the mind or senses)

perception (the process of perceiving)

perceptive (having the ability to perceive or understand; keen in discernment)

percipient (characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving)

Sense 2

Meaning:

To become aware of through the senses

Example:

I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon

Synonyms:

comprehend; perceive

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "perceive"):

see through (perceive the true nature of)

find (perceive oneself to be in a certain condition or place)

taste (perceive by the sense of taste)

listen (hear with intention)

hear (perceive (sound) via the auditory sense)

sight; spy (catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes)

see (perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight)

touch (perceive via the tactile sense)

smell (inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense)

ache; hurt; suffer (feel physical pain)

dream (experience while sleeping)

catch; pick up (perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily)

misperceive (perceive incorrectly)

hallucinate (perceive what is not there; have illusions)

divine (perceive intuitively or through some inexplicable perceptive powers)

pick up; receive (register (perceptual input))

apperceive (perceive in terms of a past experience)

feel; sense (perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles)

Derivation:

perceptible (easily seen or detected)

Credits

 Context examples: 

If I can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton, indeed, not to discover it too.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

‘That will do, Mr. Melas,’ said he. ‘You perceive that we have taken you into our confidence over some very private business.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You must suppose me designed for some profession, and might perceive that I am neither a lawyer, nor a soldier, nor a sailor.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

At the second glance, however, I perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, a small bearded man in a grey suit, who seemed to be looking in my direction.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But if you consider the European situation you will have no difficulty in perceiving the motive.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He perceived and determined and responded in the same instant.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

And then suddenly we perceived something which filled us with new hope.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I perceive that there is no possible means by which it can be kept pure from roguery.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

For example, proper diet, and appropriate exercise are activities perceived to influence health status.

(Health Behavior, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A characteristic of an image that measures its perceived quality, especially as compared to an ideal or perfect image.

(Image Quality, NCI Thesaurus)