sense
noun OPAL WOPAL S
/sens/
/sens/
Idioms - [singular] sense (of something) an understanding about something; an ability to judge something
- One of the most important things in a partner is a sense of humour (= the ability to find things funny or make people laugh).
- He has a very good sense of direction (= finds the way to a place easily).
- (figurative) She has lost all sense of direction in her life (= the idea of what she should do in her life).
- Always try to keep a sense of proportion (= of the relative importance of different things).
- a sense of rhythm/timing
- a sense of fun/adventure
- Readers gain a real sense of what life was like in the camp.
- Alex doesn't have any dress sense (= does not know which clothes look attractive).
Extra Examples- He seems to have lost his sense of reality.
- I have absolutely no fashion sense.
- She had a great sense of style.
- a natural sense of justice
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- good
- great
- wonderful
- …
- have
- sense of
- [uncountable] good understanding and judgement; knowledge of what is sensible or practical behaviour
- You should have the sense to take advice when it is offered.
- There's no sense in (= it is not sensible) worrying about it now.
- Can't you talk sense (= say something sensible)?
- There's a lot of sense in what Mary says.
Which Word? sensible / sensitivesensible / sensitiveSensible and sensitive are connected with two different meanings of sense.see also common sense, good sense- Sensible refers to your ability to make good judgements:
- She gave me some very sensible advice.
- It wasn’t very sensible to go out on your own so late at night.
- Sensitive refers to how easily you react to things and how much you are aware of things or other people:
- a soap for sensitive skin
- This movie may upset a sensitive child.
Extra Examples- He at least had the sense to call the police.
- Some people have more money than sense.
- How could you even think of doing such a thing? Have some sense!
- I wish my daughter would learn some sense.
- If you had an ounce of sense, you'd never have agreed to help him.
- There's a lot of sense in what he's saying.
- There's no sense in going home before the concert.
- He was respected for his humour and his good sense.
- I developed a certain road sense during my years as a cyclist.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- complete
- perfect
- good
- …
- have
- display
- show
- …
- sense in
- have more money than sense
- make little sense
- (not) an ounce of sense
- …
- [countable] the meaning that a word or phrase has; a way of understanding something
- That word has three senses.
- in … sense The word ‘love’ is used in different senses by different people.
- Globalization in the broadest sense is nothing new.
- The word ‘perspective’ is being used here in a technical sense.
- He was a true friend, in every sense of the word (= in every possible way).
- In a sense (= in one way) it doesn't matter any more.
- In some senses (= in one or more ways) the criticisms were justified.
- (formal) In no sense can the issue be said to be resolved.
- in the sense of something I am using ‘cold’ in the sense of ‘unfriendly’.
- in the sense that… I don't mean that the press ought to be free in the sense that no one ought to pay for it.
- There is a sense in which we are all to blame for the tragedy.
Extra Examples- This is a tragedy in the fullest sense of the word.
- These teachings do not constitute a religion in the conventional sense.
- The novel is about education in its widest sense.
- In a very real sense, post-war repression was the continuation of the war.
- In a certain sense, justice was done.
- I don't have any friends in the usual sense of the word.
- I am not writing poetry in the traditional sense.
- He and I were no longer friends in any meaningful sense.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- broad
- loose
- wide
- …
- have
- in a sense
- in every sense of the word
- in a very real sense
- in the true sense of the word
- …
- [countable] one of the five powers (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) that your body uses to get information about the world around you
- the five senses
- sense of something Dogs have a keen sense (= strong sense) of smell.
- the sense organs (= eyes, ears, nose, etc.)
- I could hardly believe the evidence of my own senses (= what I could see, hear, etc.).
- The mixture of sights, smells and sounds around her made her senses reel.
Extra Examples- Art should appeal to the senses rather than the intellect.
- He has a sixth sense when it comes to fashion.
- Raccoons have a highly developed sense of touch.
- She lost her sense of hearing early in life.
- When she came to, her senses told her she was lying on a beach.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- acute
- developed
- good
- …
- have
- lose
- heighten
- …
- tell somebody
- reel
- swim
- …
- organ
- through the senses
- the five senses
- the sense of hearing
- the sense of sight
- …
- [countable] a feeling about something important
- sense of something His career was guided by a strong sense of duty.
- There is now a sense of urgency to fix the problem.
- I have found a sense of purpose in the work I do here.
- Most people in the country have a strong sense of national identity.
- My parents instilled a strong sense of responsibility in me.
- Clubs try to create a sense of community.
- Helmets can give cyclists a false sense of security.
- He felt an overwhelming sense of loss.
- sense (that)… I had the sense that he was worried about something.
- I got the sense that she wasn't very pleased to see us.
Extra Examples- He felt a deep sense of relief after the phone call.
- I experienced a new sense of freedom.
- Many felt a renewed sense of purpose in the nation's war effort.
- Patti had a nagging sense of foreboding.
- The conviction may bring a sense of closure.
- We felt a profound sense of alienation from Western culture.
- a palpable sense of danger
- a vague sense of unease
- Doesn't she have any sense of guilt about what she did?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- great
- keen
- …
- experience
- feel
- have
- …
- sense of
- a false sense of security
- senses[plural] a normal state of mind; the ability to think clearly
- If she threatens to leave, it should bring him to his senses.
- He waited for Dora to come to her senses and return.
- No one in their right senses would give him the job!
- (old-fashioned) Are you out of your senses? You'll be killed!
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + senses- come to
- regain
- take leave of
- …
understanding/judgement
meaning
sight/hearing, etc.
feeling
normal state of mind
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.
Idioms
knock/talk some sense into somebody
- to try and persuade somebody to stop behaving in a stupid way, sometimes using rough or violent methods
- Try and talk some sense into her before she makes the wrong decision.
- Where would I be without you to knock some sense into my head?
make sense
- to have a meaning that you can easily understand
- This sentence doesn't make sense.
- to be a sensible thing to do
- It makes sense to buy the most up-to-date version.
- There are strict medicals for pilots, which makes good sense.
Extra Examples- Family-friendly policies make good business sense.
- It makes little sense to discuss this now.
- to be easy to understand or explain
- John wasn't making much sense on the phone.
- Who would send me all these flowers? It makes no sense.
- It all made perfect sense to me.
make sense of something
- to understand something that is difficult or has no clear meaning
- I can’t make sense of that painting.
see sense
- to start to be sensible or reasonable
- I tried to make him see sense, but he just wouldn't listen.
a sense of occasion
- a feeling or understanding that an event is important or special
- Candles on the table gave the evening a sense of occasion.
take leave of your senses
- (old-fashioned) to start behaving as if you are crazy