experience

It was an experience he would not soon forget.

March 20, 1684-5, John Sharp, Sermon preached at Whitehall
Those that undertook the religion of our Savior upon his preaching, had no experience of it.

“I have tried, as I hinted, to enlist the co-operation of other capitalists, but experience has taught me that any appeal is futile that does not impinge directly upon cupidity. […]”

1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:

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.

(countable) An activity one has performed.

Virtually all employers now require jobseekers to have work experience even for entry-level roles. Many believe this will hurt companies in the long run.

they knew soone by experience how slenderly guarded against danger, the majestie of Rulers is

1659, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “(please specify the book number)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] W. Hunt, for George Sawbridge, […], →OCLC:

Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer in one word, from experience.

1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 1:

We determined that the car driver’s transportation of multiple teen passengers, limited driving experience, and likely impairment from effects of cannabis at the time of the crash adversely affected her judgment of the danger of entering the intersection in front of the approaching combination vehicle.

2024, NTSB, Intersection Crash Between Passenger Car and Combination Vehicle, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, March 22, 2022:

(usually uncountable) A collection of events and/or activities from which an individual or group may gather knowledge, opinions, and skills.

In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.

2013 June 7, Ed Pilkington, “‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 6:

(uncountable) The knowledge thus gathered.

She caused him to make experience / Vpon wyld beasts, which she in woods did find, / With wrongfull powre oppressing others of their kind

1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 7:

(obsolete, uncountable) Trial; a test or experiment.

en-noun

experience (countable and uncountable, plural experiences)

خِبْرَة

From Middle English experience, from Old French, from Latin experientia (“a trial, proof, experiment, experimental knowledge, experience”), from experiens, present participle of experiri (“to try, put to the test, undertake, undergo”), from ex (“out”) + peritus (“experienced, expert”), past participle of *periri (“to go through”); see expert and peril. Displaced native Old English āfandung (“experience”) and āfandian (“to experience”).


experience

A 2022 report published by the Scottish Borders Council states: "Hawick has been affected more by depopulation than any other Borders town, with all parts of the town experiencing population loss, and Hawick Central is currently experiencing the highest depopulation out of the 30 Intermediate Zones in Scottish Borders."

2025 April 30, Andy Comfort, “£10 million closer to Carlisle”, in RAIL, number 1034, page 41:

(transitive) To observe certain events; undergo a certain feeling or process; or perform certain actions that may alter one or contribute to one's knowledge, opinions, or skills.

en-verb

experience (third-person singular simple present experiences, present participle experiencing, simple past and past participle experienced)

experiences (present singular third-person)
experiencing (participle present)
experienced (participle past)
experienced (past)