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Recognize
Definitions
- 1 To match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"I recognized his face immediately, although his voice was different."
- 2 to cognize again British, English, North-American, Oxford, UK, US
- 3 accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept their power and authority wordnet
- 4 To acknowledge the existence or legality of; to treat as valid or worthy of consideration. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"The US and a number of EU countries are expected to recognize Kosovo on Monday."
- 5 perceive to be the same wordnet
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- 6 To acknowledge or consider (as being a certain thing or having a certain quality or property). British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"Slavery is widely recognized as immoral."
- 7 be fully aware or cognizant of wordnet
- 8 To realize or discover the nature of something; apprehend quality in. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual."
- 9 express obligation, thanks, or gratitude for wordnet
- 10 To show formal appreciation of, as with an award, commendation etc. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"His services were recognized in a testimonial."
- 11 express greetings upon meeting someone wordnet
- 12 To review; to examine again. British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete
"We do moste humbly submytte it [this treatise] to[…]your maiestie, to be recognised, ouersene, and corrected."
- 13 detect with the senses wordnet
- 14 To reconnoiter. British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete
"before the siege was layd to the Towne, of minde to recognize, he fell unawares amongst an Ambushcade"
- 15 grant credentials to wordnet
- 16 To have the property to bind to specific antigens. British, English, Oxford, US
- 17 show approval or appreciation of wordnet
- 18 exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate) wordnet
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French reconoistre, from Old French reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, first attested in the 16th century. Displaced native English acknow (“to recognize, perceive as”), compare German erkennen and Swedish erkänna. Latin had rare recognizare (“to try by jury”).
From re- + cognize.
See also for "recognize"
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