intuition

n. [ L. intuitus, p. p. of intueri to look on; in- in, on + tueri: cf. F. intuition. See Tuition. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A looking after; a regard to. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

What, no reflection on a reward! He might have an intuition at it, as the encouragement, though not the cause, of his pains. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Direct apprehension or cognition; immediate knowledge, as in perception or consciousness; -- distinguished from “mediate” knowledge, as in reasoning; as, the mind knows by intuition that black is not white, that a circle is not a square, that three are more than two, etc.; quick or ready insight or apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sagacity and a nameless something more, -- let us call it intuition. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any object or truth discerned by intuition. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Any quick insight, recognized immediately without a reasoning process; a belief arrived at unconsciously; -- often it is based on extensive experience of a subject. [ PJC ]

5. The ability to have insight into a matter without conscious thought; as, his chemical intuition allowed him to predict compound conformations without any conscious calculation; a mother's intuition often tells her what is best for her child. [ PJC ]