recognise
recognise — verb
- recognisepresent simple I / you / we / they
- recognises3rd person singular
- recognising-ing form
- recognisedpast simple
1. to notice that you have seen, heard, or met someone or something before, and kno
to notice that you have seen, heard, or met someone or something before, and know who or what they are as a result
Matthew walked past me without speaking, but I recognised him from the conference last year.
recognise + someone from [time/place]
The security camera was too dark to recognise the visitor's face at the front gate.
Can you recognise the smell of burning rubber coming from the engine room?
Adisa recognised the tune immediately when the band began to play it at the festival.
It took me a moment to recognise my cousin in her new school uniform.
- overlook
to fail to notice someone or something you could have recognised
文法句型
recognise + noun phrase
can/could recognise + noun phrase
recognise + noun phrase + as + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used with can or could when describing the ability to recognise something at a particular moment. The object is usually a person, place, voice, smell, or sound that the subject has encountered before.
常見錯誤
2. to be able to name or describe someone or something because you know their parti
to be able to name or describe someone or something because you know their particular signs or typical qualities
Walid can recognise over forty kinds of mushrooms by their colour and shape alone.
recognise + [type/kind] + by [feature]
The children had to recognise each capital city from a picture of its famous building.
Eliska recognised the handwriting on the envelope as her grandmother's before she even opened it.
Sailors can recognise a coming storm from small changes in the wind and sky.
- identify
the closest synonym; both work for naming by features, but identify does not strongly imply prior familiarity
- distinguish
focuses on telling something apart from similar things; 'distinguish a robin from a sparrow'
- discern
more formal — means to see or notice something that is not obvious
- misidentify
to wrongly name or describe something
文法句型
recognise + noun phrase
recognise + noun phrase + by + noun phrase
常見錯誤
3. to accept or admit that something is true, legally valid, or important enough to
to accept or admit that something is true, legally valid, or important enough to be taken into account
Most countries now recognise the right of every child to receive a free education.
recognise + the right of [someone] to [do something]
The manager recognised that the old system was no longer working and agreed to change it.
recognise + that-clause for admitting a fact
Anong's teaching qualification is recognised in several countries across Asia and Europe.
Ravindra refused to recognise the court's authority and chose to defend himself instead.
It took Hiro a long time to recognise that his drinking had become a serious problem.
- acknowledge
very similar; acknowledge can be more about admitting something is true even if unwillingly
- accept
broader — can refer to accepting a fact, situation, or offer; recognise adds a nuance of formal or official acknowledgement
- admit
often implies reluctance or conceding after resistance
文法句型
recognise + noun phrase
recognise + that-clause
be recognised as + noun/adjective
recognise + noun phrase + as + noun phrase
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (KNOW AGAIN): sense 3 is about agreeing that something is true or valid, not about seeing or hearing something familiar. Frequently used in legal, political, and social contexts. The passive form (be recognised as/in/by) is especially common.
常見錯誤
4. to publicly show that you value someone's work, effort, or qualities, often by p
to publicly show that you value someone's work, effort, or qualities, often by praising them or giving them an award
The university recognised Ada's ten years of research with a lifetime achievement award.
recognise + [person/achievement] + with [award]
Isabela's dedicated work with homeless families was recognised when she received the Mayor's Community Award.
passive: be recognised for [work] + when [award]
The school holds a ceremony to recognise students who do outstanding volunteer work.
Aoi felt deeply honoured when the committee recognised her contribution to the local library project.
Firefighters who risk their lives to save others deserve to be recognised by the community.
- honour
stronger — implies a high level of respect or a formal award
- acknowledge
less formal — can be a simple thank-you or public mention
- appreciate
focuses on feeling grateful rather than public action
文法句型
be recognised for + noun phrase
be recognised as + noun phrase
recognise + noun phrase + with + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is usually passive or describes an official/public act by an institution, organisation, or authority figure. The object of recognition is typically a person's achievement, contribution, or quality, not the person themselves directly.