Feel"ing , n.
1. The sense by which the mind, through certain nerves of the body, perceives external objects, or certain states of the body itself; that one of the five senses which resides in the general nerves of sensation distributed over the body, especially in its surface; the sense of
touch; nervous sensibility to external objects.
Why was the sight
To such a tender
ball as the
eye confined, . . .
And not, as feeling, through all parts diffused?
Milton.
2. An act
or state of
perception by the sense above described; an act of apprehending any object whatever; an act or state
of apprehending the state of the
soul itself; consciousness.
The apprehension of the good
Gives but the greater feeling to the worse.
Shak.
3. The capacity of the soul for
emotional states; a high degree of susceptibility to emotions or states of the sensibility not dependent on the body; as,
a man of feeling; a man destitute of feeling.
4. Any state or condition of emotion; the exercise of the capacity for emotion; any mental state whatever; as, a right or a wrong feeling in the heart; our angry or
kindly feelings; a feeling of pride or of humility.
A fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind.
Garrick. Tenderness
for the feelings of others.
Macaulay.
5. That quality of a
work of art
which embodies the mental emotion of the artist, and is calculated to affect similarly the spectator. Fairholt.
Syn. -- Sensation; emotion; passion; sentiment; agitation; opinion. See Emotion, Passion,
Sentiment.
Feel"ing , a.
1. Possessing great sensibility; easily affected or moved; as, a feeling heart.
2. Expressive of great sensibility; attended by, or evincing, sensibility; as, he made a feeling representation of his wrongs.
Hear it pronounced