King James Bible

DISCERN, verb transitive s as z. [Latin , to separate or distinguish, Gr.]

1. To separate by the eye, or by the understanding. Hence,

2. To distinguish; to see the difference between two or more things; to discriminate; as, to discern the blossom-buds from the leaf-buds of plants.

DISCERN thou what is thine--Genesis 31:32.

3. To make the difference.

For nothing else discerns the virtue or the vice.

4. To discover; to see; to distinguish by the eye.

I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding. Proverbs 7:7.

5. To discover by the intellect; to distinguish; hence, to have knowledge of; to judge.

So is my lord the king to discern good and bad. 2 Samuel 14:17.

A wise mans heart discerneth time and judgment. Ecclesiastes 8:5.

DISCERN, verb intransitive

1. To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood.

2. To have judicial cognizance.