Etymology : Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin experientia act of trying, from experient-, experiens, present participle of experiri to try, from ex- + -periri ; more at FEAR
Pronunciation : ik-spir-E-&n(t)s
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. knowledge obtained by doing; something that one has lived through. try; live through; feel; endure. experience\ex*pe"ri*ence\ , n. [f. expérience, l. experientia, tr. experiens, entis, p. pr. of experiri, expertus, to try; ex out + the root of pertus experienced. see:
peril, and cf. expert.].
2. trial, as a test or experiment. [obs.] she caused him to make experience upon wild beasts.
3. the effect upon the judgment or feelings produced by any event, whether witnessed or participated in; personal and direct impressions as contrasted with description or fancies; personal acquaintance; actual enjoyment or suffering. "guided by other's experiences." i have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. henry to most men experience is like the stern lights of a ship, which illumine only the track it has passed. when the consuls came in they knew soon by experience how slenderly guarded against danger the majesty of rulers is where force is wanting. those that undertook the religion of our savior upon his preaching, had no experience of it. rp.
4. an act of knowledge, one or more, by which single facts or general truths are ascertained; experimental or inductive knowledge; hence, implying skill, facility, or practical wisdom gained by personal knowledge, feeling or action; as, a king without experience of war. whence hath the mind all the materials of reason and knowledge? to this i answer in one word, from experience. experience may be acquired in two ways; either, first by noticing facts without any attempt to influence the frequency of their occurrence or to vary the circumstances under which they occur; this is observation; or, secondly, by putting in action causes or agents over which we have control, and purposely varying their combinations, and noticing what effects take place; this is experiment. herschel.experience n.
5. the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities; "a man of experience"; "experience is the best teacher" [ant: inexperience].
6. the content of direct observation or participation in an event; "he had a religious experience"; "he recalled the experience vividly".
7. an event as apprehended; "a surprising experience"; "that painful experience certainly got our attention" v 1: go or live through; "we had many trials to go through"; "he saw action in viet nam" [syn: undergo, see, go through ] 2: have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations; "i know the feeling!" "have you ever known hunger?"; "i have lived a kind of hell when i was a drug addict"; "the holocaust survivors have lived a nightmare"; "i lived through two divorces" [syn: know, live] 3: of mental or physical states or experiences: "get an idea"; "experience vertigo"; "get nauseous"; "undergo a strange sensation"; "the chemical undergoes a sudden change"; "the fluid undergoes shear"; "receive injuries"; "have a feeling" [syn: receive, have, get, undergo].
8. undergo an emotional sensation; "she felt resentful"; "he felt regret" [syn: feel].
9. undergo; "the stocks had a fast run-up" [syn: have].
10. Trial, as a test or experiment.
11. The effect upon the judgment or feelings produced by any event, whether witnessed or participated in; personal and direct impressions as contrasted with description or fancies; personal acquaintance; actual enjoyment or suffering.
12. An act of knowledge, one or more, by which single facts or general truths are ascertained; experimental or inductive knowledge; hence, implying skill, facility, or practical wisdom gained by personal knowledge, feeling or action; as, a king without experience of war.
13. To make practical acquaintance with; to try personally; to prove by use or trial; to have trial of; to have the lot or fortune of; to have befall one; to be affected by; to feel; as, to experience pain or pleasure; to experience poverty; to experience a change of views.
14. To exercise; to train by practice. the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities; "a man of experience"; "experience is the best teacher" the content of direct observation or participation in an event; "he had a religious experience"; "he recalled the experience vividly" an event as apprehended; "a surprising experience"; "that painful experience certainly got our attention" of mental or physical states or experiences; "get an idea"; "experience vertigo"; "get nauseous"; "undergo a strange sensation"; "The chemical undergoes a sudden change"; "The fluid undergoes shear"; "receive injuries"; "have a feeling" go or live through; "We had many trials to go through"; "he saw action in Viet Nam".
15. 1. Experience is knowledge or skill in a particular job or activity, which you have gained because you have done that job or activity for a long time. He has also had managerial experience on every level He's counting on his mother to take care of the twins for him; she's had plenty of experience with them. see also:
work experience.
16. Experience is used to refer to the past events, knowledge, and feelings that make up someone's life or character. I should not be in any danger here, but experience has taught me caution She had learned from experience to take little rests in between her daily routine.
17. An experience is something that you do or that happens to you, especially something important that affects you. His only experience of gardening so far proved immensely satisfying Many of his clients are unbelievably nervous, usually because of a bad experience in the past.
18. If you experience a particular situation, you are in that situation or it happens to you. We had never experienced this kind of holiday before and had no idea what to expect.
19. If you experience a feeling, you feel it or are affected by it. Widows seem to experience more distress than do widowers. Experience is also a noun. the experience of pain.