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recognize - 6 dictionary results

rec⋅og⋅nize

  [rek-uhg-nahyz]
Use recognize in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -nized, -niz⋅ing.
1. to identify as something or someone previously seen, known, etc.: He had changed so much that one could scarcely recognize him.
2. to identify from knowledge of appearance or characteristics: I recognized him from the description. They recognized him as a fraud.
3. to perceive as existing or true; realize: to be the first to recognize a fact.
4. to acknowledge as the person entitled to speak at a particular time: The Speaker recognized the Congressman from Maine.
5. to acknowledge formally as entitled to treatment as a political unit: The United States promptly recognized Israel.
6. to acknowledge or accept formally a specified factual or legal situation: to recognize a successful revolutionary regime as the de facto government of the country.
7. to acknowledge or treat as valid: to recognize a claim.
8. to acknowledge acquaintance with, as by a greeting, handshake, etc.
9. to show appreciation of (achievement, service, merit, etc.), as by some reward, public honor, or the like.
10. Law. to acknowledge (an illegitimate child) as one's own.
11. Biochemistry, Immunology. to bind with, cleave, or otherwise react to (another substance) as a result of fitting its molecular shape or a portion of its shape.
Also, especially British, rec⋅og⋅nise.

Origin:
1425–75; recogn(ition) + -ize; r. late ME racunnysen, recognisen < OF reconuiss-, s. of reconuistre < L recognōscere, equiv. to re- re- + cognōscere to know 1 ; see cognition

Related forms:
rec⋅og⋅niz⋅a⋅ble  [rek-uhg-nahy-zuh-buhl, rek-uhg-nahy-] , adjective
rec⋅og⋅niz⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun
rec⋅og⋅niz⋅a⋅bly, adverb
rec⋅og⋅niz⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
3. acknowledge, appreciate, understand, grant, concede.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To recognize
rec·og·nize   (rěk'əg-nīz')   
tr.v.   rec·og·nized, rec·og·niz·ing, rec·og·niz·es
  1. To know to be something that has been perceived before: recognize a face.
  2. To know or identify from past experience or knowledge: recognize hostility.
  3. To perceive or show acceptance of the validity or reality of: recognizes the concerns of the tenants.
  4. To permit to address a meeting: The club's president recognized the new member.
  5. To accept officially the national status of as a new government.
  6. To show awareness of; approve of or appreciate: recognize services rendered.
  7. To admit the acquaintance of, as by salutation: recognize an old friend with a cheerful greeting.
  8. Law To enter into a recognizance.
  9. Biology To exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate, for example).

[Middle English recognisen, to resume possession of land, alteration (influenced by Medieval Latin recognizāre, to recognize) of Old French reconoistre, reconoiss-, to know again, from Latin recognōscere : re-, re- + cognōscere, to get to know; see gnō- in Indo-European roots.]
rec'og·niz'a·ble adj., rec'og·niz'a·bly adv., rec'og·niz'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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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.

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 Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : recognize
Spanish: reconocer,
German: erkennen,
Japanese: ～だとわかる
More Translations »

recognize 
1414, "resume possession of land," from M.Fr. reconiss-, stem of reconoistre "to know again, identify, recognize," from O.Fr., from L. recognoscere "acknowledge, recall to mind, know again, examine, certify," from re- "again" + cognoscere "know" (from co- "with" + gnoscere "become acquainted;" see notice). Meaning "perceive something or someone as already known" first recorded 1533.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: rec·og·nize
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -nized; -niz·ing
1 : to acknowledge formally: as a : to admit as being of a particular status <recognize a precedent> <recognize a union>; specifically : to acknowledge (as a right, cause of action, or defense) as valid b : to admit as being one entitled to be heard : give the floor to c : to acknowledge the de facto existence or the independence of recognize the new government>
2 : to account for as real, received, or incurred and treat and record appropriately; specifically : to account for (a gain, loss, expense, or income) on current accounting or tax records <recognized the gain when she included it as income on her tax return> —compare REALIZE
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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