DISCERN • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Discern

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/dɪsˈərn/ Listen

verb

Discern v. t. (past & past part. discerned; pres. part. discerning)

To see and identify by noting a difference or differences; to note the distinctive character of; to discriminate; to distinguish. "To discern such buds as are fit to produce blossoms." "A counterfeit stone which thine eye can not discern from a right stone."

To see by the eye or by the understanding; to perceive and recognize; as, to discern a difference. "And (I) beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding." "Our unassisted sight... is not acute enough to discern the minute texture of visible objects." "I wake, and I discern the truth."

Synonyms: To perceive; distinguish; discover; penetrate; discriminate; espy; descry; detect. See Perceive.

Discern v. i.

To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood. "More than sixscore thousand that cannot discern between their right hand their left."

To make cognizance. (Obs.)

See images of 'Discern'

Etymology of 'Discern'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Discern" Quotes from Famous Books

... more mysterious to me: neither in the practical Mystery had I made the slightest progress, but been everywhere buffeted, foiled, and contemptuously cast-out. A feeble unit in the middle of a threatening Infinitude, I seemed to have nothing given me but eyes, whereby to discern my own wretchedness. Invisible yet impenetrable walls, as of Enchantment, divided me from all living: was there, in the wide world, any true bosom I could press trustfully to mine? O Heaven, No, there was none! I kept a lock ...

— Sartor Resartus, and On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History • Thomas Carlyle

... he happened to possess eyes that were able to see in such semi-darkness; then again it might be his absence from the fire had much to do with his ability to discern obstacles in time ...

— The Banner Boy Scouts on a Tour - The Mystery of Rattlesnake Mountain • George A. Warren

... ideas. It's all right for you, but it won't do for me: I'm different altogether. Why should it always be put upon me when I hate it? What have I done? I was drenched with it before." These last words, as they broke forth, were attended with a quick blush; so that Nick could as quickly discern in them the uncalculated betrayal of an old irritation, an old shame almost—her late husband's flat, inglorious taste for pretty things, his indifference to every chance to play a public part. This had been the ...

— The Tragic Muse • Henry James

... therein! Thereby, for one thing, could D'Aiguillon postpone the rebuilding of his Chateau, and rebuild his fortunes first. For stout Choiseul would discern in the Dubarry nothing but a wonderfully dizened Scarlet-woman; and go on his way as if she were not. Intolerable: the source of sighs, tears, of pettings and pouting; which would not end till 'France' (La France, as she named her royal valet) finally mustered heart to see Choiseul; and with ...

— The French Revolution • Thomas Carlyle

... Developments had been tumbling over each other so fast that he found himself unable to sort them properly. He wanted to talk the thing over with someone, to place each new lead in the investigation under the microscope in an attempt to discern its true value in relation to the ...

— Midnight • Octavus Roy Cohen

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