noun

1. the ability of the nerves and the brain to receive and react to stimuli, as light, sound, impact, constriction, etc.; specif., any of five faculties of receiving impressions through specific bodily organs and the nerves associated with them (sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing)
2. the senses considered as a total function of the bodily organism, as distinguished from intellect, movement, etc.
3. 1. feeling, impression, or perception through the senses a sense of warmth, pain, etc.
   2. a generalized feeling, awareness, or realization a sense of longing
4. an ability to judge, discriminate, or estimate external conditions, sounds, etc. a sense of direction, pitch, etc.
5. an ability to feel, appreciate, or understand some quality a sense of humor, honor, etc.
6. 1. the ability to think or reason soundly; normal intelligence and judgment, often as reflected in behavior
   2. soundness of judgment or reasoning some sense in what he says
   3. something wise, sound, or reasonable to talk sense
   4. normal ability to reason soundly to come to one's senses
7. 1. meaning; esp., any of several meanings conveyed by or attributed to the same word or phrase
   2. essential signification; gist to grasp the sense of a remark
8. the general opinion, sentiment, or attitude of a group
9. Math. either of two contrary directions that may be specified, as clockwise or counterclockwise for the circumference of a circle, positive or negative for a line segment, etc.

Etymology: Fr sens < L sensus < sentire, to feel, perceive: see send

transitive verb sensed, sensing sens′·ing

1. to be or become aware of to sense another's hostility
2. to comprehend; understand
3. to detect automatically, as by sensors