intelligence
/ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒəns/ noun A2- The capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to comprehend and learn; the ability to process sentient experience to generate true beliefs with a justified degree of confidence.
- An individual's expected relative performance in a cognitive test. · intelligence quotient
- The quality of making use or having made use of such capacities: depth of understanding, mental quickness.
- An entity that has such capacities.
- Information, often secret, about an enemy or about hostile activities.
- A political or military department, agency or unit designed to gather information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.
- Acquaintance; intercourse; familiarity.
Plural intelligences
From the library
He had recognized intelligence in the high forehead, courage in the dark eye and bent brow, and frankness in the thick lips that showed a set of pearly teeth.
“I won’t insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that, especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you use an arc-and-compass breastpin.”
“Because there are many ciphers which I would read as easily as I do the apocrypha of the agony column: such crude devices amuse the intelligence without fatiguing it.
You are bound to leave something to the intelligence of your correspondent.
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