👉 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.
Alright class, settle down, let’s take a look at this word – “experience.” It's a big one, full of meaning, so let’s break it down nice and slow. The dictionary gives us quite the mouthful, doesn’t it? Let’s unpack that a bit, shall we? It says "experience" is really about how something affects you. Think of it like this: (Rhyming Line) “It's not just knowing facts, it’s feeling what’s true.” It's the impact an event has on your mind and heart – whether you saw it happen, or if you were right there in the middle of it. Let’s look at those parts: "The effect upon the judgment or feelings..." This means that experience changes how you think and feel about something. Maybe a scary movie leaves you feeling nervous for a while - that's an effect on your feelings . Or perhaps learning a new skill makes you feel confident – that’s an effect on your judgment ! "...produced by any event, whether witnessed or participated in." It doesn’t matter if you watched something happen from the sidelines, or if you were actively involved. Both can create an experience for you. (Rhyming Line) “A simple walk, a thrilling fight – both offer an experience bright.” "Personal and direct impressions as contrasted with description or fancies..." This is key! It’s your unique view of something. Not just what someone else tells you about it, but what you actually felt and thought when you were there. Like imagining a beach trip versus actually being on that beach – they're different experiences entirely! "Personal acquaintance; actual enjoyment or suffering." Finally, experience is also about getting to know something firsthand - whether it’s joyful or difficult. It could be the pleasure of tasting your favorite food, or the pain of learning a hard lesson. So, in short, “experience” isn't just knowing information; it’s about feeling it, thinking about it, and forming your own opinions based on what you’ve lived through. Does anyone have any questions about how this word works? Let’s discuss!