Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
SENSE
I. noun see: send
Date: 14th century
a meaning conveyed or intended ; import , signification ,
2. the faculty of perceiving by means of sense organs, a specialized function or mechanism (as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch) by which an animal receives and responds to external or internal stimuli, the sensory mechanisms constituting a unit distinct from other functions (as movement or thought), conscious awareness or rationality,
4. a particular sensation or kind or quality of sensation , a definite but often vague awareness or impression , a motivating awareness , a discerning awareness and appreciation , consensus ,
6. capacity for effective application of the powers of the mind as a basis for action or response ; intelligence , sound mental capacity and understanding typically marked by shrewdness and practicality, one of two opposite directions especially of motion (as of a point, line, or surface), Synonyms: see: sense
II. transitive verb (sensed; sensing)
Date: circa 1531
1. to perceive by the senses, to be or become conscious of , grasp , comprehend , to detect automatically especially in response to a physical stimulus (as light or movement)