01 n. The quality or state of being sensible, or capable of sensation; capacity to feel or perceive.
pl.
Sensibilities ((#))
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1.
The quality or state of being sensible, or capable of sensation; capacity to feel or perceive.(Physiol.)
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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.“The true lawgiver ought to have a heart full of sensibility.” — Burke.“His sensibilities seem rather to have been those of patriotism than of wounded pride.” — Marshall.
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3.
Experience of sensation; actual feeling.“This adds greatly to my sensibility.” — Burke.
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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.
Syn.
Taste; susceptibility; feeling. See Taste.