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Sensible   /sˈɛnsəbəl/   Listen
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."


noun
Sensible  n.  
1.
Sensation; sensibility. (R.) "Our temper changed... which must needs remove the sensible of pain."
2.
That which impresses itself on the sense; anything perceptible. "Aristotle distinguished sensibles into common and proper."
3.
That which has sensibility; a sensitive being. (R.) "This melancholy extends itself not to men only, but even to vegetals and sensibles."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Sensible" Quotes from Famous Books



... profession, in an elaborate work on the climate and the people of Malta, enjoins on the invalid a participation in the amusements of cheerful society; and the propriety of his injunction few will be disposed to dispute: they may well, however, marvel at the reason he assigns for such sensible advice—that, so far as invalids are concerned, society has a direct tendency to ...
— Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 439 - Volume 17, New Series, May 29, 1852 • Various
... insinuate, that the voice and words are not to be used at all. It is certain that public and common devotions cannot be performed without them; and that even in private, they are not only very profitable, but sometimes necessary. What I here aim at is, that the youth should be made sensible, that words are not otherwise valuable than as they are images and copies of what passes in the hidden man of the heart; especially considering that a great many, who appear very angelical in their devotions, if we take ...
— A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume II (of 3) • Thomas Clarkson
... He was a sensible little chap, and seldom complained at his loneliness. His life alone had made him patient, and he took it ...
— Ted Strong's Motor Car • Edward C. Taylor
... delight, if we examine it, arises from the surprizing absurdity, as in appropriating the manners of the highest to the lowest, or e converso; so in the former we should ever confine ourselves strictly to nature, from the just imitation of which will flow all the pleasure we can this way convey to a sensible reader. And perhaps there is one reason why a comic writer should of all others be the least excused for deviating from nature, since it may not be always so easy for a serious poet to meet with the great ...
— Joseph Andrews Vol. 1 • Henry Fielding
... Vanity, in the Sciarra Palace. There were at least half a dozen others, to which the owner assigned as high an origin. It was delightful to believe in their authenticity, at all events; for these things make the spectator more vividly sensible of a great painter's power, than the final glow and perfected art of the most consummate picture that may have been elaborated from them. There is an effluence of divinity in the first sketch; and there, if anywhere, you find the pure light of inspiration, which ...
— The Marble Faun, Volume I. - The Romance of Monte Beni • Nathaniel Hawthorne


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