Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COGN'I-ZANCE, n. [con'izance; Fr. connoissance; It cognoscenza; Sp. conocencia; Port. conhecença.]

1. Judicial notice or knowledge; the hearing, trying and determining of a cause or action in a court. The court of king's bench takes cognizance of civil and criminal causes. – Blackstone. In the United States, the district courts have cognizance of maritime causes.
2. Jurisdiction, or right to try and determine causes. The court of king's bench has original jurisdiction and cognizance of all actions of trespass vi et armis. – Blackstone.
3. In law, an acknowledgment or confession; as in fines, the acknowledgment of the cognizor or deforciant, that the right to the land in question is in the plaintif or cognizee, by gift or otherwise; in replevin, the acknowledgment of the defendant, that he took the goods, but alledging that he did it legally as the bailif of another person who had a right to distrain. – Blackstone.
4. A badge on the sleeve of a waterman or servant, by which he is known to belong to this or that nobleman or gentleman. – Encyc.
5. Knowledge or notice; perception; observation; as, the cognizance of the senses.
6. Knowledge by recollection. – Spenser.