n. See Hyperæsthesia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. insensibilité. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The state or quality of being insensible; lack of sensibility; torpor; unconsciousness; as, the insensibility produced by a fall, or by opiates. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Lack of tenderness or susceptibility of emotion or passion; dullness; stupidity.

Syn. -- Dullness; numbness; unfeelingness; stupidity; torpor; apathy; impassiveness; indifference. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. insensibilis: cf. F. insensible. See In- not, and Sensible. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Destitute of the power of feeling or perceiving; wanting bodily sensibility; unconscious. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not susceptible of emotion or passion; void of feeling; apathetic; unconcerned; indifferent; as, insensible to danger, fear, love, etc.; -- often used with of or to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Accept an obligation without being a slave to the giver, or insensible to his kindness. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lost in their loves, insensible of shame. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Incapable of being perceived by the senses; imperceptible. Hence: Progressing by imperceptible degrees; slow; gradual; as, insensible motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two small and almost insensible pricks were found upon Cleopatra's arm. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

They fall away,
And languish with insensible decay. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not sensible or reasonable; meaningless. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If it make the indictment be insensible or uncertain, it shall be quashed. Sir M. Hale.

5. Incapable of feeling a specific sensation or emotion; as, insensible to pity. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- Imperceptible; imperceivable; dull; stupid; torpid; numb; unfeeling; apathetic; stoical; impassive; indifferent; unsusceptible; hard; callous. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Insensibility. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner not to be felt or perceived; imperceptibly; gradually. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hills rise insensibly. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Sensibilities [ Cf. F. sensibilité, LL. sensibilitas. ] 1. (Physiol.) The quality or state of being sensible, or capable of sensation; capacity to feel or perceive. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The capacity of emotion or feeling, as distinguished from the intellect and the will; peculiar susceptibility of impression, pleasurable or painful; delicacy of feeling; quick emotion or sympathy; as, sensibility to pleasure or pain; sensibility to shame or praise; exquisite sensibility; -- often used in the plural. “Sensibilities so fine!” Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

The true lawgiver ought to have a heart full of sensibility. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

His sensibilities seem rather to have been those of patriotism than of wounded pride. Marshall. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Experience of sensation; actual feeling. [ 1913 Webster ]

This adds greatly to my sensibility. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That quality of an instrument which makes it indicate very slight changes of condition; delicacy; as, the sensibility of a balance, or of a thermometer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Taste; susceptibility; feeling. See Taste. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., fr. L. sensibilis, fr. sensus sense. ] 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; as, sensible heat; sensible resistance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Air is sensible to the touch by its motion. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

The disgrace was more sensible than the pain. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

Any very sensible effect upon the prices of things. A. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; capable of perceiving by the instrumentality of the proper organs; liable to be affected physically or mentally; impressible. [ 1913 Webster ]

Would your cambric were sensible as your finger. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Perceiving or having perception, either by the senses or the mind; cognizant; perceiving so clearly as to be convinced; satisfied; persuaded. [ 1913 Webster ]

He [ man ] can not think at any time, waking or sleeping, without being sensible of it. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

They are now sensible it would have been better to comply than to refuse. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Having moral perception; capable of being affected by moral good or evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Possessing or containing sense or reason; gifted with, or characterized by, good or common sense; intelligent; wise. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now a sensible man, by and by a fool. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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). [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Intelligent; wise. -- Sensible, Intelligent. We call a man sensible whose judgments and conduct are marked and governed by sound judgment or good common sense. 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 distinctions. 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.” Addison. “Trace out the numerous footsteps . . . of a most wise and intelligent architect throughout all this stupendous fabric.” Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Sensation; sensibility. [ R. ] “Our temper changed . . . which must needs remove the sensible of pain.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which impresses itself on the sense; anything perceptible. [ 1913 Webster ]

Aristotle distinguished sensibles into common and proper. Krauth-Fleming. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which has sensibility; a sensitive being. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This melancholy extends itself not to men only, but even to vegetals and sensibles. Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The quality or state of being sensible; sensibility; appreciation; capacity of perception; susceptibility. “The sensibleness of the eye.” Sharp. “Sensibleness and sorrow for sin.” Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sensibleness of the divine presence. Hallywell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Intelligence; reasonableness; good sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a sensible manner; so as to be perceptible to the senses or to the mind; appreciably; with perception; susceptibly; sensitively. [ 1913 Webster ]

What remains past cure,
Bear not too sensibly. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. With intelligence or good sense; judiciously. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Deeper than the reach of the senses. “That subsensible world.” Tyndall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. super- + sensible: cf. F. supersensible. ] Beyond the reach of the senses; above the natural powers of perception. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Insensible. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]