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noun Horizon n. 1.The line which bounds that part of the earth's surface visible to a spectator from a given point; the apparent junction of the earth and sky. "And when the morning sun shall raise his car Above the border of this horizon." "All the horizon round Invested with bright rays." 2.(Astron.) (a)A plane passing through the eye of the spectator and at right angles to the vertical at a given place; a plane tangent to the earth's surface at that place; called distinctively the sensible horizon. (b)A plane parallel to the sensible horizon of a place, and passing through the earth's center; called also rational horizon or celestial horizon. (c)(Naut.) The unbroken line separating sky and water, as seen by an eye at a given elevation, no land being visible. 3.(Geol.) The epoch or time during which a deposit was made. "The strata all over the earth, which were formed at the same time, are said to belong to the same geological horizon." 4.(Painting) The chief horizontal line in a picture of any sort, which determines in the picture the height of the eye of the spectator; in an extended landscape, the representation of the natural horizon corresponds with this line. 5.The limit of a person's range of perception, capabilities, or experience; as, children raised in the inner city have limited horizons. 6.(fig.) A boundary point or line, or a time point, beyond which new knowledge or experiences may be found; as, more powerful computers are just over the horizon. Apparent horizon. See under Apparent. Artificial horizon, a level mirror, as the surface of mercury in a shallow vessel, or a plane reflector adjusted to the true level artificially; used chiefly with the sextant for observing the double altitude of a celestial body. Celestial horizon. (Astron.) See def. 2, above. Dip of the horizon (Astron.), the vertical angle between the sensible horizon and a line to the visible horizon, the latter always being below the former. Rational horizon, and Sensible horizon. (Astron.) See def. 2, above. Visible horizon. See definitions 1 and 2, above.
adjective Sensible adj. 1.Capable of being perceived by the senses; apprehensible through the bodily organs; hence, also, perceptible to the mind; making an impression upon the sense, reason, or understanding; sensible resistance. "Air is sensible to the touch by its motion." "The disgrace was more sensible than the pain." "Any very sensible effect upon the prices of things." 2.Having the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; capable of perceiving by the instrumentality of the proper organs; liable to be affected physsically or mentally; impressible. "Would your cambric were sensible as your finger." 3.Hence: Liable to impression from without; easily affected; having nice perception or acute feeling; sensitive; also, readily moved or affected by natural agents; delicate; as, a sensible thermometer. "With affection wondrous sensible." 4.Perceiving or having perception, either by the senses or the mind; cognizant; perceiving so clearly as to be convinced; satisfied; persuaded. "He (man) can not think at any time, waking or sleeping, without being sensible of it." "They are now sensible it would have been better to comply than to refuse." 5.Having moral perception; capable of being affected by moral good or evil. 6.Possessing or containing sense or reason; giftedwith, or characterized by, good or common sense; intelligent; wise. "Now a sensible man, by and by a fool." Sensible note or Sensible tone (Mus.), the major seventh note of any scale; so called because, being but a half step below the octave, or key tone, and naturally leading up to that, it makes the ear sensible of its approaching sound. Called also the leading tone. Sensible horizon. See Horizon, n., 2. (a). Synonyms: Intelligent; wise. Sensible, Intelligent. We call a man sensible whose judgments and conduct are marked and governed by sound judgment or good common semse. We call one intelligent who is quick and clear in his understanding, i. e., who discriminates readily and nicely in respect to difficult and important distinction. The sphere of the sensible man lies in matters of practical concern; of the intelligent man, in subjects of intellectual interest. "I have been tired with accounts from sensible men, furnished with matters of fact which have happened within their own knowledge." "Trace out numerous footsteps... of a most wise and intelligent architect throughout all this stupendous fabric."
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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