secern

Verb

secern (third-person singular simple present secerns, present participle secerning, simple past and past participle secerned)

1. (archaic, literary, transitive) To separate or set apart (someone or something from other persons or things).
   • '[T]is not ſo much a local and bodily ſecerning our ſelves from evil men that God requires (as the Donatiſts falſely taught) but a ſpiritual ſeparation in mind and affections, and from their ſins, more than from their perſons.1657, William Morice, “Diatribe. Sect[ion] III.”, in Cœna quasi Κοινη [Koine]: The Common Right to the Lords Supper Asserted in a Diatribe & Defence thereof, […], 2nd edition, London: […] R[obert]...
   • Often a prize would be awarded to some one dancer who had excelled his fellows. There were, I suppose, "born" Morris-dancers. Now and again one of them, flushed with triumph, would secern himself from his troupe, and would "star" round the country for his livelihood.1907 October, Max Beerbohm, “‘A Morris for May-Day’”, in Harper’s Monthly Magazine, volume CXV, number DCLXXXIX, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, page 792, column 2

   Synonyms:

   allocate, appropriate, shelve, assign, dedicate, detach, designate, earmark, preselect, put aside

2. (broadly, literary, transitive) To separate (something from other things) in the mind; to discriminate, to distinguish.

   Synonyms:

   differentiate, discern

3. (archaic, literary, transitive) Synonym of secrete (“to extract or separate (a substance) from the blood, etc., for excretion or for the fulfilling of a physiological function”).
   • [T]he joint-glands themſelves grovv rigid, and ſecern leſs of their proper humour. Hence vvhen the gout falls upon people in years, it proves very ſevere, for vvant of a neceſſary quantity of that oleaginous matter to extinguiſh it.1734, William Stukeley, “Part II”, in Of the Gout; […], London; Dublin: […] Theo. Jones […], published 1735, →OCLC, page 25
   • A friend of mine, vvhen he vvas painfully fatigued by riding on horſeback, vvas accuſtomed to call up ideas into his mind, vvhich uſed to excite his anger or indignation, and thus for a time at leaſt relieved the pain of fatigue. By this temporary inſanity, the effect of the voluntary povver upon...1794, Erasmus Darwin, “Sect[ion] XXXIV. Diseases of Volition.”, in Zoonomia; or, The Laws of Organic Life, volume I, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 435

   Synonyms:

   secrete

4. (intransitive, literary) Of a person or thing: to become separated from others.
5. (intransitive, literary, rare) To secrete a substance.
   • […] Birds bee commonly better Meat than Beaſts, becauſe their Fleſh doth aſſimilate more finely, and ſecerneth more ſubtilly.1631, Francis [Bacon], “VII. Century. [Experiment Solitary Touching Pilosity and Plumage.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley...