Apedia

Ken Range Sight Noun Perception Understanding Knowledge Vision

Ken refers to perception, understanding, knowledge, or the range of vision.

Ken refers to perception, understanding, knowledge, or the range of vision.

Front ken \KEN\
Back noun
1. Perception; understanding; knowledge.
2. The range of vision.
3. View; sight.

["Ken" appeared on the English horizon in the 16th century as a term of measurement of the distance bounding the range of ordinary vision at sea — about 20 miles. British author John Lyly used that sense in 1580 when he wrote, "They are safely come within a ken of Dover." Other 16th-century writers used "ken" to mean "range of vision" ("Out of ken we were ere the Countesse came from the feast." — Thomas Nash) or "sight" ("'Tis double death to drown in ken of shore." — Shakespeare). Today, however, "ken" rarely suggests literal sight. Rather, "ken" nowadays almost always implies a range of comprehension, understanding, or knowledge.]

Tags: priorityhigh

Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.

Next card: Verb hector hek-tur noun bully transitive intimidate harass

Previous card: Arcanum ar-kay-nuhm noun plural arcana secret mystery specialized

Up to card list: Hard English Vocabulary