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Having an acute or nicely discerning mind.

Discerning; reasonable; judicious; cunning. [Obs.] "Of skillful judgment." Chaucer.

Characterized by nicety of discrimination; discerning; delicate; refined; subtle. [In this sense now commonly written subtle.] The genius of the Spanish people is exquisitely subtile, without being at all acute; hence there is so much humor and so little wit in their literature. The genius of the Italians, on the contr…

Full of tact; characterized by a discerning sense of what is right, proper, or judicious.

The power of perceiving and relishing excellence in human performances; the faculty of discerning beauty, order, congruity, proportion, symmetry, or whatever constitutes excellence, particularly in the fine arts and belles-letters; critical judgment; discernment.

the patient weakened; the witness weakened on cross-examination. "His notion weakens, his discernings are lethargied." Shak.

Hence, especially, making due use of knowledge; discerning and judging soundly concerning what is true or false, proper or improper; choosing the best ends and the best means for accomplishing them; sagacious. When clouds appear, wise men put their cloaks. Shak. From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which a…