Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Sensibility
Senˊsi-bil′i-ty
,Noun.
pl.
Sensibilities
(#)
. [Cf. F.
sensibilité
, LL. sensibilitas
.] 1.
(Physiol.)
The quality or state of being sensible, or capable of sensation; capacity to feel or perceive.
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;
“Sensibilities so fine!” as,
; – often used in the plural. sensibility
to pleasure or pain; sensibility
to shame or praise; exquisite sensibility
Cowper.
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.
3.
Experience of sensation; actual feeling.
This adds greatly to my
sensibility
. Burke.
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
. Webster 1828 Edition
Sensibility
SENSIBIL'ITY
, n. 1. Susceptibility of impressions; the capacity for feeling or perceiving the impressions of external objects; applied to the animal bodies; as when we say, a frozen limb has lost its sensibility.
2. Acuteness of sensation; applied to the body.
3. Capacity of acuteness of perception; that quality of the soul which renders it susceptible of impressions; delicacy of feeling; as sensibility to pleasure or pain; sensibility to shame or praise; exquisite sensibility.
4. Actual feeling.
This adds to my great sensibility. Burke.
[This word is often used in this manner for sensation.]
5. It is sometimes used in the plural.
His sensibilities seem rather to have been those of patriotism, than of wounded pride.