Discern — Dis*cern , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Discerned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Discerning}.] [F. discerner, L. discernere, discretum; dis + cernere to separate, distinguish. See {Certain}, and cf. {Discreet}.] 1. To see and identify by noting a difference or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Discern — Dis*cern , v. i. 1. To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood. [1913 Webster] More than sixscore thousand that cannot discern between their right hand their left. Jonah iv … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
discern — [di sʉrn′, dizʉrn′] vt. [ME discernen < OFr discerner < L discernere < dis , apart + cernere, to separate: see HARVEST] 1. to separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different 2. to perceive or… … English World dictionary
discern — (v.) late 14c., from O.Fr. discerner (13c.) distinguish (between), separate (by sifting), and directly from L. discernere to separate, set apart, divide, distribute; distinguish, perceive, from dis off, away (see DIS (Cf. dis )) + cernere… … Etymology dictionary
discern — perceive, descry, observe, notice, remark, note, espy, behold, *see, view, survey, contemplate Analogous words: *discover, ascertain: divine, apprehend, anticipate, *foresee: pierce, penetrate, probe (see ENTER) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
discern — [v] catch sight of; recognize and understand anticipate, apprehend, ascertain, behold, descry, detect, determine, difference, differentiate, discover, discrepate, discriminate, distinguish, divine, espy, extricate, figure out, find out, focus,… … New thesaurus
discern — ► VERB 1) recognize or find out. 2) distinguish with difficulty by sight or with the other senses. DERIVATIVES discernible adjective. ORIGIN Latin discernere, from cernere to separate … English terms dictionary
discern — [[t]dɪsɜ͟ː(r)n[/t]] discerns, discerning, discerned 1) VERB If you can discern something, you are aware of it and know what it is. [FORMAL] [V n] You need a long series of data to be able to discern such a trend... [V wh] It was hard to discern… … English dictionary
discern — UK [dɪˈsɜː(r)n] / US [dɪˈsɜrn] verb [transitive] Word forms discern : present tense I/you/we/they discern he/she/it discerns present participle discerning past tense discerned past participle discerned formal 1) to notice something, especially… … English dictionary
discern — verb ADVERB ▪ clearly, easily, readily (esp. AmE) ▪ She could clearly discern a figure walking up to the house. ▪ barely (esp. AmE), dimly (esp. BrE), just … Collocations dictionary
