sense

bring someone to their senses

come to your senses - to start to understand that you have been behaving in a stupid way. It was my father who finally brought me to my senses by telling me that if I didn't go back to college I might regret it for the rest of my life.

See also: bring

but not in the biblical sense (humorous)

if you say you know someone but not in the biblical sense, you mean you have not had sex with them. 'Did you know her then?' 'Yes, but not in the biblical sense.'

See also: but

come to your senses

to start to understand that you have been behaving in a stupid way. So you've finally realized what a mistake you're making. I wondered how long it would take you to come to your senses.

See also: come

have taken leave of your senses (old-fashioned)

if you have taken leave of your senses, you are behaving in a strange or silly way. You're leaving your family and your job to travel round the world, at your age? Have you taken leave of your senses? (often used in questions)

See also: leave, taken

horse sense (old-fashioned)

ordinary practical knowledge of the best way to deal with people and situations. Has he got enough horse sense not to get into debt?

See also: horse

knock (some) sense into someone (informal)

to use strong methods in order to teach someone to stop behaving stupidly. A month in prison should knock some sense into him.

See also: knock

lull someone into a false sense of security

to make someone feel safe when they are not. Wearing suntan lotion can lull people into a false sense of security and make them spend longer in the sun than they should.

See also: false, lull

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come to your senses

to start to understand that you have been behaving in a stupid way. Once Jack came to his senses, he was happy to admit that he'd been wrong.

See also: come

in a sense

considering a situation in a particular way. It is tragic, in a sense, to see a family business destroyed.

in the strict sense

according to the most limited and exact meaning of a word or idea. “Conservative” in the strict sense of the word is not a label that fits her. The novel is not tragic in the strictest sense, but it is certainly full of sadness.

Usage notes: usually used to say that someone or something does not have the characteristics of this limited meaning

make sense

to be reasonable. This deal clearly makes sense in the long term.

Usage notes: often used with words that describe amounts, like some, much, or any: Her idea doesn't make any sense.

make sense of something

to understand something. The community is trying to make sense of the tragedy.

take leave of your senses

to become crazy. My friends wondered if I had taken leave of my senses.

See also: leave, take

talk sense

to be reasonable. Abdullah is liked by the people who work for him because he talks sense. I think it's time someone talked sense to us about conserving energy.

See also: talk

talk some sense into someone

to help someone think about something in a reasonable way. My best friend talked some sense into me, and I was able to smooth things over with my mom.

See also: some, talk