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tr.v. rec·og·nized, rec·og·niz·ing, rec·og·niz·es 1. To know to be something that has been perceived before: recognize a face. 2. To know or identify from past experience or knowledge: recognize hostility. 3. To perceive or show acceptance of the validity or reality of: recognizes the concerns of the tenants. 4. To permit to address a meeting: The club's president recognized the new member. 5. To accept officially the national status of as a new government. 6. To show awareness of; approve of or appreciate: recognize services rendered. 7. To admit the acquaintance of, as by salutation: recognize an old friend with a cheerful greeting. 8. Law To enter into a recognizance. 9. Biology To exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate, for example). [Middle English recognisen, to resume possession of land, alteration (influenced by Medieval Latin recognizāre, to recognize) of Old French reconoistre, reconoiss-, to know again, from Latin recognōscere : re-, re- + cognōscere, to get to know; see gnō- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] recog·niz′a·ble adj. recog·niz′a·bly adv. recog·niz′er n. |
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