phenomenon
/fəˈnɑ.məˌnɑn/ noun B1- A thing or being, event or process, perceptible through senses; or a fact or occurrence thereof.
- A knowable thing or event (e.g. by inference, especially in science). · An electromagnetic phenomenon.
- A kind or type of phenomenon (sense 1 or 2). · A volcanic eruption is an impressive phenomenon.
- Appearance; a perceptible aspect of something that is mutable.
- A fact or event considered very unusual, curious, or astonishing by those who witness it.
- A wonderful or very remarkable person or thing.
- An experienced object whose constitution reflects the order and conceptual structure imposed upon it by the human mind (especially by the powers of perception and understanding).
Plural phenomena
From the library
He had some analytical genius, no doubt; but he was by no means such a phenomenon as Poe appeared to imagine.”
A dull, gloomy silence, like that which precedes some awful phenomenon of nature, pervaded the assembly, who shuddered in dismay.
“Young Edward!” A burst of laughter from the auditors did not in the least disconcert the speaker, who continued,—“Yes, gentlemen; Edward, the infant phenomenon, who is quite an adept in the art of killing.”
Well, the poison brings on a cough, the cough an inflammation of the lungs, or some other complaint catalogued in the book of science, which, however, by no means precludes it from being decidedly mortal; and if it were not, would be sure to become so, thanks to the remedies applied by foolish doctors, who are generally bad chemists, and which will act in favor of or against the malady, as you please; and then there is a human being killed according to all the rules of art and skill, and of whom justice learns nothing, as was said by a terrible chemist of my acquaintance, the worthy Abbé Adelmonte of Taormina, in Sicily, who has studied these national phenomena very profoundly.”
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