feeling (feling)

[Verbal n. of feell, feell, v.] 1. The act of sensing or perceiving by sensation. Specifically-(a) The act of perceiving by touch, or the sense of touch. (b) More comprehensively, all that part of the sensory function (as the sensing of cold, hunger, etc.) which is not included in the special senses of sight, hearing, smell, and taste. See touch, n. Why was the sight To such a tender ball as the eye confined, And not, as feeling , through all parts diffused? Milton , S. A., 1. 96. 2. A sensation. Specifically - (a) A sensation conveyed by the sense of touch. (b) More comprehensively, sensation of any kind not a ignable to one of the special senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell: as, a feeling warmth; a feeling of pain; a feeling of drowsine . Some of the organs in their sound condition have no organic feelings . G. T. Ladd, Physiol. Psychology, p. 513. 3. The immediate quality of what is present to consciousne in sensation, desire, or emotion, considered apart from all activity of thought; the pure sense-element in consciousne ; in a loose use, any element of consciousne not recognizable as thought or will. The word (that is, its equivalent) was introduced into philosophy as an exact term in this sense by Tetens, a German Wolffian philosopher of the eighteenth century. Kant modified the meaning, for the convenience of his system, so as to restrict it as in def. 4, below. The point which at present concerns us is simply that, con schen feeling is said to be the primordial element in to pleasure all included under i steding than ity by which one pleasurable or painful sensation is dist in guishable from another. J. Ward, Encyc. Brit., XX. 40. I have in this volume used Feeling as the name for the genus of which Sensation (with Muscular Feeling) and Emotion are the two species. A. Bain , Emotions and Will, p. 615, App. It cannot be too strongly urged in the face of mystical attempts, however learned, that there is not a landmark, not a length, not a point of the compa in real space which is not some one of our feelings , either experienced directly as a presentation or ideally suggested by another feeling which has come to serve as its sign. W. James, Mind, XII. 208. Feelings which correspond directly with an interaction between the organism and its environment are termed Nor, again, can we admit without verification the proposition which some philosophers, including Aristotle (and Plato in some pa ages), seem to a ume a prior i: that the kind of feeling which is most pleasant or preferable as feeling will always accompany the kind of activity which we approve. H. Sidgwick , Methods of Ethics, p. 162. The motive of all action is feeling . All great movements in history are preceded and accompanied by strong feelings. L. F. Ward, Dynam. Sociol., I. 11. The good-hearted old fellow betrayed some fecling at this explosion of grief, and betook himself to soothing the young girl. J. E. Cooke , Virginia Comedians, I. xii. Specifically-6. Fine or refined sensibility; fine emotional endowment; especially, tenderne or affectionate ne of heart; susceptibility; in an adverse sense, sentimentality: as, a man of feeling : sometimes in the plural: as, to hurt or injure one's feelings . It must be Willoughby, therefore, whom you suspect. But why? Is he not a man of honour and feeling ? ... Can he be deceitful? Jane Austen , Sense and Sensibility, xv. 7. Obscure vague perception; belief the reasons for which are not clearly understood: as, every one had a feeling of the truth of this statement. It thus appears that when pushed to our last resort, we must retire either upon feeling or belief, or both indifferently. Sir W. Hamilton . 8. Opinion or determination as founded on or resulting from emotion. The feeling of the house could not be mistaken. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. The feeling of the Middle Ages evidently was that bare stone inside a building had an unfinished and uncomfortable look, and was quite as unsuitable in a richly decorated and furnished cathedral as it would now be considered in a lady's drawing-room. Encyc. Brit., XXIII. 158. 9. In the fine arts, the impre ion or emotion conveyed by the general expre ion of a work of art, or of some part or detail of it, especially as embodying a particular emotion or conception of the artist. There can be little doubt that the Norman architects, with true Gothic always intended that their churches should eventually be vaulted, and prepared them accordingly, though in many instances they were constructed with wooden roofs, or compromises of some sort. J. Fergu on, Hist. Arch., I. 516. Between the oak pilasters will be a carved panel of scroll ornament, Renai ance in feeling. Art Age, IV. 43. The same fine feeling for greys charms us in both pic Athenœum, Jan. 14, 1888, p. 56. tures. Era of good feeling. See era . Syn. Thought , etc. See sentiment. feeling (fe'ling), p. a. [Ppr. of feell, v.] 1. Po e ing or affected by sensibility; easil; easily affected or moved; experiencing emotion, especially that of sympathy or compa ion: as, a a feeling friend or advocate. IMG:content-1185.png:[blocks in formation] feeze feeling look or gesture; he spoke with feeling eloquence. Frame some feeling line, That may discover such integrity. Shak., T. G. of V., iii. 2. 3. Exciting sensibility; deeply felt or realized; affecting. [Rare.] This is yet a more feeling grief to us. Swift , Tale of a Tub, i. 4. Sensibly felt or realized; emotionally experienced; vivid. In whose hearts God hath written his law with his holy Spirit, and given them a feeling faith of the mercy that is in Christ Jesu our Lord. Tyndale , Ans. to Sir T. More, etc. [(Parker Soc., 1850), р. 13. I had a feeling sense Of all your royal favours; but this last Strikes through my heart. Southern . feelingly (fe'ling-li), adv. 1. With feeling or expre ion of sen sensibility; tenderly:: as, to speak feelingly. When I see cause, I can both do and suffer, Freely and feelingly , as a true gentleman. Fletcher, Wild goose Chase, iv. 3. They best can serve true gladne Who meet most feelingly the calls of sadne . Words worth, Sonnets, iii. 35. 2. So as to be sensibly felt. [Rare.] These are counsellors That feelingly persuade me what I am. Shak., As you Like it, ii. 1.