sensible

comparative more sensible · superlative most sensible · archaic rare superlative sensiblest

1. Acting with or showing good sense; able to make good judgements based on reason or wisdom, or reflecting such ability.

   They ask questions of someone who thinks he's got something sensible to say on some matter when actually he hasn't.

   2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 230b

   Synonyms: reasonable

2. Characterized more by usefulness, practicality, or comfort than by attractiveness, formality, or fashionableness, especially of clothing.

   I only wear high heels on formal occasions; otherwise, I prefer sensible shoes.

   4 more examples

   “Delightful vision! A comfortable armchair, situated in three different draughts, at every ballroom; and nice, large, sensible shoes for all the couples to stumble over as they go into the veranda!”

   1889, Rudyard Kipling, “The Education of Otis Yeere”, in Under the Deodars, Boston: The Greenock Press, published 1899, page 19

   She was a pleasant-looking woman of about forty, with a deep voice, almost manly in its stentorian tones, and had a large sensible square body, with feet to match—these last encased in good thick boots.

   1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 8

   Settle down, raise a family, join the PTA Buy some sensible shoes and a Chevrolet

   1985, "Weird Al" Yankovic, “Dare to Be Stupid”, in Dare to Be Stupid, performed by "Weird Al" Yankovic

   1999, Neil Gaiman, Stardust (2001 Perennial Edition), page 8, They would walk, on fair evenings, around the village, and discuss the theory of crop rotation, and the weather, and other such sensible matters.

3. especiallyformalAble to be sensed by the senses or the psyche; able to be perceived.

   For Plato the belief in sensible objects is fallible.

   5 more examples

   Air is sensible to the Touch by its Motion, and by its Resistance to Bodies moved in it.

   1751, John Arbuthnot, An Essay Concerning the Effects of Air on Human Bodies, page 1

   The sensible qualities of argentina promise no great virtue of this kind; for to the taste it discovers only a slight roughishness, from whence it may be presumed to be entitled to a place only among the milder corroborants.

   1778, William Lewis, The New Dispensatory, page 91

   It has been vouchsafed, for example, to very few Christian believers to have had a sensible vision of their Saviour.

   1902, William James, “Lecture III: The Reality of the Unseen”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 54

   [T]he diſgrace was more ſensible than the pain.

   1690, William Temple, Miscellanea. The Second Part. […], London: […] T. M. for Ri[chard] and Ra[lph] Simpson, […], →OCLC, section III, page 207

   The discovery of the mines of America […] does not seem to have had any very sensible effect upon the prices of things in England.

   1776 March 9, Adam Smith, chapter 11, in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. […], volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, book I (Of the Causes of Improvement in the Productive Powers of Labour, […]), page 241

   Synonyms: perceptible, appreciable, detectable · Antonyms: insensible, imperceptible, unappreciable, undetectable

4. archaicAble to feel or perceive.

   Would your cambric were sensible as your finger.

   c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]

5. archaicLiable to external impression; easily affected; sensitive.

   a sensible thermometer

   1 more example

   with affection wondrous sensible

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene viii]

6. archaicOf or pertaining to the senses; sensory.
7. archaicCognizant; having the perception of something; aware of something.

   we are now sensible that it would have been absurd

   1810, Thomas Green, Extracts from the diary of a lover of literature

   3 more examples

   He cannot think at any time, waking or sleeping, without being sensible of it.

   1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter I, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC

   A bright Meſſenger from Heaven, made the Man of GOD ſenſible, That a Remarkable Safety ſhould be granted unto him, and therefore unto all the Company vvith Him.

   1723, Cotton Mather, “Agathangelus; or, The Servant of God with His Guardian”, in Cœlestinus. A Conversation in Heaven, Quickened and Assisted, with Discoveries of Things in the Heavenly World. […], Boston, Mass.: […] S[amuel] Kneeland, for Nath[aniel] Belknap, […], →OCLC, page 2

   Diſingaging myſelf then from his embrace, I made him ſenſible of the reaſons there vvere for his preſent leaving me; on vvhich, tho' reluctantly, he put on his cloaths vvith as little expedition, hovvever, as he could help, vvantonly interrupting himſelf betvveen vvhiles, vvith kiſſes, touches, and embraces, I could not refuſe myſelf to; […]

   Fanny Hill

   1749, [John Cleland], “[Letter the First]”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], volume I, London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC, pages 213–214

plural sensibles

1. obsoleteSensation; sensibility.

   Our temper changed […] which must needs remove the sensible of pain.

   1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

2. obsoleteThat which impresses itself on the senses; anything perceptible.

   Aristotle distinguished sensibles into common and proper.

   1857, William Fleming, Vocabulary of Philosophy

   1 more example

   Accordingly, with respect to their knowability or opinability, Socrates makes no distinction among the sensibles between natural things and artifacts (510a5–6); both are relegated to the realm of opinion. Hence, there is no Socratic-Platonic biology.

   2018, Richard F. Hassing, Final Causality in Nature and Human Affairs (page 4)

3. obsoleteThat which has sensibility; a sensitive being.

   This melancholy extends itself not to men only, but even to vegetals and sensibles.

   1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC