awareness, realization, or knowledge; notice; perception: The guests took cognizance of the snide remark.
2.
Law.
a.
judicial notice as taken by a court in dealing with a cause.
b.
the right of taking jurisdiction, as possessed by a court.
c.
acknowledgment; admission, as a plea admitting the fact alleged in the declaration.
3.
the range or scope of knowledge, observation, etc.: Such understanding is beyond his cognizance.
4.
Heraldry. a device by which a person or a person's servants or property can be recognized; badge.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME conisa(u)nce < MF con(o)is(s)ance, equiv. to conois(tre) to know (< L cognōscere; see cognition) + -ance-ance; forms with -g- (< L) from the 16th century]
c.1350, from Anglo-Fr. conysance "recognition," later, "knowledge," from O.Fr. conissance "knowledge," from pp. of conoistre "to know," from L. cognoscere "to get to know, recognize," from co- "together" + gnoscere "to know" (see notice). The -g- was restored in Eng. spelling 15c. and has gradually affected the pronunciation. Hence, cognoscente (pl. cognoscenti), 1778, from It., from L.
having knowledge of; "he had no awareness of his mistakes"; "his sudden consciousness of the problem he faced"; "their intelligence and general knowingness was impressive" [syn: awareness] [ant: incognizance]
2.
range of what one can know or understand; "beyond my ken"
Cog"ni*zance\ (? or ?; 277), n. [OF. conissance, conoissance, F. connaissance, LL. cognoscentia, fr. L. cognoscere to know. See Cognition, and cf. Cognoscence, Connoisseur.]1. Apprehension by the understanding; perception; observation. Within the cognizance and lying under the control of their divine Governor. --Bp. Hurd 2. Recollection; recognition. Who, soon as on that knight his eye did glance, Eftsoones of him had perfect cognizance. --Spenser. 3. (Law) (a) Jurisdiction, or the power given by law to hear and decide controversies. (b) The hearing a matter judicially. (c) An acknowledgment of a fine of lands and tenements or confession of a thing done. [Eng.] (d) A form of defense in the action of replevin, by which the defendant insists that the goods were lawfully taken, as a distress, by defendant, acting as servant for another. [Eng.] --Cowell. Mozley & W. 4. The distinguishing mark worn by an armed knight, usually upon the helmet, and by his retainers and followers: Hence, in general, a badge worn by a retainer or dependent, to indicate the person or party to which he belonged; a token by which a thing may be known. Wearing the liveries and cognizance of their master. --Prescott. This pale and angry rose, As cognizance of my blood-drinking hate. --Shak.
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