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discern

Verb
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To tell apart or judge clearly. It often means making a careful decision after thinking things through.

Detailed Definition
In older or more formal English, discern means to perceive, recognize, or judge something clearly. In poetry and reflective writing, it can suggest weighing options with care rather than acting quickly.
Example
Example in poetry:
“As I chase ambitions, but the price I must discern” (modern-style example); “To discern the false from true” (ethical use); “I discern no other way” (formal poetic syntax); “The owl discerns its prey at dusk” (precise perception)
Additional Notes
In the line quoted, discern is a more formal verb than most everyday readers use, so it may need looking up.; Found in the poem, Chasing Dreams, Counting Costs by Richard
Also Known As
perceive recognize distinguish identify
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