3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Experience  \Ex*pe"ri*ence\,  n.  [F.  exp['e]rience,  L. 
  experientia,  tr  experiens,  ?entis,  p.  pr  of  experiri 
  expertus  to  try  ex  out  +  the  root  of  pertus  experienced. 
  See  {Peril},  and  cf  {Expert}.] 
  1.  Trial,  as  a  test  or  experiment.  [Obs.] 
 
  She  caused  him  to  make  experience  Upon  wild  beasts. 
  --Spenser. 
 
  2.  The  effect  upon  the  judgment  or  feelings  produced  by  any 
  event,  whether  witnessed  or  participated  in  personal  and 
  direct  impressions  as  contrasted  with  description  or 
  fancies;  personal  acquaintance;  actual  enjoyment  or 
  suffering.  ``Guided  by  other's  experiences.''  --Shak. 
 
  I  have  but  one  lamp  by  which  my  feet  are  guided,  and 
  that  is  the  lamp  of  experience.  --P.  Henry 
 
  To  most  men  experience  is  like  the  stern  lights  of  a 
  ship,  which  illumine  only  the  track  it  has  passed. 
  --Coleridge. 
 
  When  the  consuls  .  .  .  came  in  .  .  .  they  knew  soon 
  by  experience  how  slenderly  guarded  against  danger 
  the  majesty  of  rulers  is  where  force  is  wanting. 
  --Holland. 
 
  Those  that  undertook  the  religion  of  our  Savior  upon 
  his  preaching,  had  no  experience  of  it  --Sharp. 
 
  3.  An  act  of  knowledge,  one  or  more  by  which  single  facts  or 
  general  truths  are  ascertained;  experimental  or  inductive 
  knowledge;  hence  implying  skill,  facility,  or  practical 
  wisdom  gained  by  personal  knowledge,  feeling  or  action 
  as  a  king  without  experience  of  war. 
 
  Whence  hath  the  mind  all  the  materials  of  reason  and 
  knowledge?  To  this  I  answer  in  one  word  from 
  experience.  --Locke. 
 
  Experience  may  be  acquired  in  two  ways;  either 
  first  by  noticing  facts  without  any  attempt  to 
  influence  the  frequency  of  their  occurrence  or  to 
  vary  the  circumstances  under  which  they  occur;  this 
  is  observation;  or  secondly,  by  putting  in  action 
  causes  or  agents  over  which  we  have  control,  and 
  purposely  varying  their  combinations,  and  noticing 
  what  effects  take  place  this  is  experiment.  --Sir 
  J.  Herschel. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  experience 
  n  1:  the  accumulation  of  knowledge  or  skill  that  results  from 
  direct  participation  in  events  or  activities;  "a  man  of 
  experience";  "experience  is  the  best  teacher"  [ant:  {inexperience}] 
  2:  the  content  of  direct  observation  or  participation  in  an 
  event;  "he  had  a  religious  experience";  "he  recallled  the 
  experience  vividly" 
  3:  an  event  as  apprehended;  "a  surprising  experience";  "that 
  painful  experience  certainly  got  our  attention" 
  v  1:  go  or  live  through  "We  had  many  trials  to  go  through"  [syn: 
  {undergo},  {go  through}] 
  2:  have  firsthand  knowledge  of  states,  situations,  emotions,  or 
  sensations;  "I  know  the  feeling!"  "have  you  ever  known 
  hunger?"  [syn:  {know},  {live}] 
  3:  of  mental  or  bodily  states  or  experiences:  "get  an  idea"; 
  "experience  vertigo";  "get  nauseous";  "undergo  a  strange 
  sensation";  "The  fluid  undergoes  shear";  "receive 
  injuries";  "have  a  feeling"  [syn:  {receive},  {have},  {get}, 
  {undergo}] 
  4:  undergo  an  emotional  sensation;  "She  felt  resentful";  "He 
  felt  regret"  [syn:  {feel}] 
  5:  undergo;  "The  stocks  had  a  fast  run-up"  [syn:  {have}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  EXPERIENCE,  n.  The  wisdom  that  enables  us  to  recognize  as  an 
  undesirable  old  acquaintance  the  folly  that  we  have  already  embraced. 
 
  To  one  who  journeying  through  night  and  fog, 
  Is  mired  neck-deep  in  an  unwholesome  bog, 
  Experience,  like  the  rising  of  the  dawn, 
  Reveals  the  path  that  he  should  not  have  gone. 
  Joel  Frad  Bink 
 
 

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