TOP

Definition of sense verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sense

verb
 
/sens/
 
/sens/
not used in the progressive tenses
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they sense
 
/sens/
 
/sens/
he / she / it senses
 
/ˈsensɪz/
 
/ˈsensɪz/
past simple sensed
 
/senst/
 
/senst/
past participle sensed
 
/senst/
 
/senst/
-ing form sensing
 
/ˈsensɪŋ/
 
/ˈsensɪŋ/
jump to other results

    become aware

  1. to become aware of something even though you cannot see it, hear it, etc.
    • sense something Sensing danger, they started to run.
    • I sensed a note of tension in his voice.
    • I could sense the presence of someone near me.
    • He sensed an opportunity to score a propaganda victory.
    • sense (that)… Lisa sensed that he did not believe her.
    • Thomas, she sensed, could convince anyone of anything.
    • sense somebody/something doing something He sensed someone moving around behind him.
    • sense somebody/something do something He sensed something move in the bushes.
    • sense how, what, etc… She could sense how nervous he was.
    Extra Examples
    • She sensed the terrible pain he was feeling.
    • He clearly sensed that some points could be scored.
    • I immediately sensed something was wrong.
    • I sensed quite strongly that she was angry with me.
    • She apparently sensed defeat was inevitable.
    • Maybe she could just sense what I needed.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • immediately
    • clearly
    • strongly
    See full entry
  2. of machine

  3. sense something to discover and record something
    • equipment that senses the presence of toxic gases
  4. Word Originlate Middle English (as a noun in the sense ‘meaning’): from Latin sensus ‘faculty of feeling, thought, meaning’, from sentire ‘feel’. The verb dates from the mid 16th cent.
See sense in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee sense in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
pepper
noun
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 3000
A1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day