discern (someone or something) from (someone or something)
1. To recognize the differences between people or things. I have a hard time discerning Jim from Greg, but they are identical twins after all. You can discern hydrangea from phlox by looking at their leaves. In certain lighting, I have a really hard time discerning dark purple from navy blue.
2. To gain information from someone or something. Her message was so cryptic that I couldn't discern anything from it—do you know what's going on? I love that you can discern anything you want from that singer's mysterious lyrics! Her essay was so filled with obscure references that I couldn't discern a coherent theme from it.
discern between (someone or something) and (someone or something)
To recognize the differences between people or things. I have a hard time discerning between Jim and Greg, but they are identical twins after all. You can discern between hydrangea and phlox by looking at their leaves. In certain lighting, I have a really hard time discerning between dark purple and navy blue.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
discern between someone or something and someone or something
to detect the difference between people and things. I cannot discern between the dark trees and the dark sky behind them. I cannot discern between the person and the background.
discern someone or something from something (else)
to detect the difference between someone or something and something else. I can hardly discern Tom from the busy background in this picture. I can't discern anything from that cluttered scene.
discern something from someone or something
to learn or determine something from someone or something. We discerned a lot from the eyewitnesses. We discerned a lot from our discussions with the past president.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.