01 n. Trial, as a test or experiment.
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1.
Trial, as a test or experiment.[Obs.]“She caused him to make experience Upon wild beasts.” — Spenser.
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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.“I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience.” — P. Henry“To most men experience is like the stern lights of a ship, which illumine only the track it has passed.” — Coleridge.“When the consuls . . . came in . . . they knew soon by experience how slenderly guarded against danger the majesty of rulers is where force is wanting.” — Holland.“Those that undertook the religion of our Savior upon his preaching, had no experience of it.” — Sharp.
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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.” — Locke.“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.” — Sir J. Herschel.