Adjacent Words

Recognize definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RECOGNIZE, v.t. rec'onize. [L. recognosco; re and cognosco, to know. The g in these words has properly no sound in English.]
1. To recollect or recover the knowledge of, either with an avowal of that knowledge or not. We recognize a person at a distance, when we recollect that we have seen him before, or that we have formerly known him. We recognize his features or his voice.
Speak, vassal; recognize thy sovereign queen.
2. To review; to re-examine.
REC'OGNIZE, v.i. To enter an obligation of record before a proper tribunal. A B recognized in the sum of twenty pounds.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority; "The Crown Prince was acknowledged as the true heir to the throne"; "We do not recognize your gods" [syn: acknowledge, recognize, recognise, know]
2: be fully aware or cognizant of [syn: recognize, recognise, realize, realise, agnize, agnise]
3: detect with the senses; "The fleeing convicts were picked out of the darkness by the watchful prison guards"; "I can't make out the faces in this photograph" [syn: spot, recognize, recognise, distinguish, discern, pick out, make out, tell apart]
4: perceive to be the same [syn: recognize, recognise]
5: grant credentials to; "The Regents officially recognized the new educational institution"; "recognize an academic degree" [syn: accredit, recognize, recognise]
6: express greetings upon meeting someone [syn: greet, recognize, recognise]
7: express obligation, thanks, or gratitude for; "We must acknowledge the kindness she showed towards us" [syn: acknowledge, recognize, recognise]
8: exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate)
9: show approval or appreciation of; "My work is not recognized by anybody!"; "The best student was recognized by the Dean" [syn: recognize, recognise]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (-nized; -nizing) Etymology: modification of Anglo-French reconois-, stem of reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, from re- + cognoscere to know — more at cognition Date: circa 1532 1. to acknowledge formally: as a. to admit as being lord or sovereign b. to admit as being of a particular status c. to admit as being one entitled to be heard ; give the floor to d. to acknowledge the de facto existence or the independence of 2. to acknowledge or take notice of in some definite way: as a. to acknowledge with a show of appreciation <recognize an act of bravery with the award of a medal> b. to acknowledge acquaintance with <recognize a neighbor with a nod> 3. a. to perceive to be something or someone previously known <recognized the word> b. to perceive clearly ; realize • recognizability noun • recognizable adjective • recognizably adverb • recognizer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (also -ise) 1 identify (a person or thing) as already known; know again. 2 realize or discover the nature of. 3 (foll. by that) realize or admit. 4 acknowledge the existence, validity, character, or claims of. 5 show appreciation of; reward. 6 (foll. by as, for) treat or acknowledge. 7 (of a chairperson etc.) allow (a person) to speak in a debate etc. Derivatives: recognizable n. recognizability n. recognizably adv. recognizer n. Etymology: OF recon(n)iss- stem of reconnaistre f. L recognoscere recognit- (as RE-, cognoscere learn)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Recognize Rec"og*nize, v. i. (Law) To enter an obligation of record before a proper tribunal; as, A, B recognized in the sum of twenty dollars. [Written also recognise.] Note: In legal usage in the United States the second syllable is often accented.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Recognize Rec"og*nize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Recognized; p. pr. & vb. n. Recognizing.] [From Recognizance; see Cognition, and cf. Reconnoiter.] [Written also recognise.] 1. To know again; to perceive the identity of, with a person or thing previously known; to recover or recall knowledge of. Speak, vassal; recognize thy sovereign queen. --Harte. 2. To avow knowledge of; to allow that one knows; to consent to admit, hold, or the like; to admit with a formal acknowledgment; as, to recognize an obligation; to recognize a consul. 3. To acknowledge acquaintance with, as by salutation, bowing, or the like. 4. To show appreciation of; as, to recognize services by a testimonial. 5. To review; to re["e]xamine. [Obs.] --South. 6. To reconnoiter. [Obs.] --R. Monro. Syn: To acknowledge; avow; confess; own; allow; concede. See Acknowledge.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(recognizes, recognizing, recognized) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. Note: in BRIT, also use 'recognise' 1. If you recognize someone or something, you know who that person is or what that thing is. The receptionist recognized him at once... A man I easily recognized as Luke's father sat with a newspaper on his lap. VERB: no cont, V n, V n as n 2. If someone says that they recognize something, they acknowledge that it exists or that it is true. I recognize my own shortcomings... Well, of course I recognize that evil exists. = acknowledge VERB: no cont, V n, V that 3. If people or organizations recognize something as valid, they officially accept it or approve of it. Most doctors appear to recognize homeopathy as a legitimate form of medicine... France is on the point of recognizing the independence of the Baltic States. = accept VERB: V n as n, V n, also V that 4. When people recognize the work that someone has done, they show their appreciation of it, often by giving that person an award of some kind. The RAF recognized him as an outstandingly able engineer... Nichols was recognized by the Hall of Fame in 1949. VERB: V n as n, V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Know again, remember as formerly known, notice as already known. 2. Acknowledge, admit, own, avow, confess, confess knowledge of. 3. Allow, concede, grant. 4. Greet, salute.

Moby Thesaurus

accept, acknowledge, admit, agree, agree provisionally, allow, appreciate, apprehend, approve, assent grudgingly, avow, be acquainted with, be apprised of, be aware of, be cognizant of, be conscious of, be conversant with, be informed, behold, bless, catch sight of, clap eyes on, cognize, comprehend, concede, conceive, conceptualize, confess, credit, descry, detect, determinate, diagnose, discern, discover, distinguish, do homage, endorse, espy, express general agreement, fathom, finger, give credit, give thanks, glimpse, go along with, grant, grasp, have, have in sight, have information about, have knowledge of, honor, identify, ken, know, know again, lay eyes on, look on, look upon, make acknowledgments of, make out, nail, not oppose, note, notice, observe, offer thanks, own, peg, perceive, pick out, pick up, pinpoint, place, possess, prehend, ratify, realize, recall, recall knowledge of, recollect, reidentify, remark, remember, render credit, render thanks, respect, return thanks, reward, salute, sanction, savvy, see, seize, sense, sight, spot, spy, take in, tell, thank, twig, understand, validate, view, warrant, witness, wot, wot of, yield