Dis*cern" , v. i. 1. 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.
Jonah iv.
11. 2. To make cognizance.
[Obs.]
Bacon.
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 differences; to note the distinctive character
of; to discriminate; to distinguish.
To discern such buds as are fit to produce blossoms.
Boyle.
A counterfeit stone which thine eye can not
discern from a right stone.
Robynson (More's Utopia). 2. 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.
Prov. vii.
7. Our unassisted sight . . . is not acute enough to discern the minute texture of visible objects.
Beattie. I wake, and I
discern the truth.
Tennyson. Syn. -- To perceive; distinguish;
discover; penetrate;
discriminate; espy; descry; detect. See Perceive.
Hear it pronounced