agnosco (adgn-; also adn-; cf. Wagn. Orthog. Verg. p. 407), nōvi, nitum (like cognĭtum from cognosco; cf. pejĕro and dejĕro from jūro), 3, v. a. [ad, intens. -gnosco, nosco] (part. perf. agnōtus, Pac. ap. Prisc. p. 887 P.; part. fut. act. agnoturus, Sall. H. Fragm. 2, 31; cf. Diom. 383 P.; class.; used very freq. by Cicero).
I As if to know a person or thing well , as having known it before, to recognize: agnoscere always denotes a subjective knowledge or recognition; while cognoscere designates an objective perception; another distinction v. in II.): in turbā Oresti cognitā agnota est soror, was recognized by Orestes as his sister , Pac. ap. Prisc. 887 P.: virtus cum se extollit et ostendit suum lumen et idem aspexit agnovitque in alio, and when she has perceived the same in another , and has recognized it , Cic. Lael. 27, 100: id facillime accipiunt animi, quod agnoscunt, Quint. 8, 3, 71: cum se collegit (animus) atque recreavit, tum agnoscit illa reminiscendo, Cic. Tusc. 1, 24, 58: quod mihi de filiā gratularis, agnosco humanitatem tuam, id. Fam. 1, 7 (cf. on the contr. id. ib. 5, 2, where Cic., speaking of himself, says: Cognosce nunc humanitatem meam, learn from this , etc.): nomine audito extemplo agnovere virum, Liv. 7, 39: veterem amicum, Verg. A. 3, 82: matrem, id. ib. 1, 405: Figulum in patriam suam venisse atque ibi agnosci, and is there recognized (by those who had already known him), Quint. 7, 2, 26: formas quasdam nostrae pecuniae agnoscunt, Tac. G. 5: agnoscent Britanni suam causam, id. Agr. 32: nitorem et altitudinem horum temporum agnoscimus, id. Or. 21: quam (tunicam) cum agnovisset pater, Vulg. Gen. 37, 33.—
B Transf., as a result of this knowledge or recognition, to declare , announce , allow , or admit a thing to be one's own , to acknowledge , own : qui mihi tantum tribui dicis, quantum ego nec agnosco ( neither can admit as due to me ) nec postulo, Cic. Lael. 9: natum, Nep. Ages. 1, 4: Aeacon agnoscit summus prolemque fatetur Juppiter esse suam, Ov. M. 13, 27 (cf. in Pandects, 25, Tit. 3: de agnoscendis vel alendis liberis): an me non agnoscetis ducem? will you not acknowledge me as your general? Liv. 6, 7: agnoscere bonorum possessionem, to declare the property as one's own , to lay claim to it , Dig. 26, 8, 11 (cf. agnitio, I.): agnoscere aes alienum, ib. 28, 5, 1: facti gloriam, Cic. Mil. 14 fin. : susciperem hoc crimen, agnoscerem, confiterer, id. Rab. Perd. 6: fortasse minus expediat agnoscere crimen quam abnuere, Tac. A. 6, 8: sortilegos, Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132: et ego ipse me non esse verborum admodum inopem agnosco, and I myself confess , allow , etc., id. Fam. 4, 4: id ego agnovi meo jussu esse factum, id. ib. 5, 20, 3: carmina spreta exolescunt; si irascare, agnita videntur, Tac. A. 4, 34.—
II To understand , recognize , know , perceive by, from, or through something: ut deum agnoscis ex operibus ejus, sic ex memoriā rerum et inventione, vim divinam mentis agnoscito, Cic. Tusc. 1, 28, 70; id. Planc. 14, 35: ex fructu arbor agnoscitur, Vulg. Matt. 12, 33: inde agnosci potest vis fortunae, Vell. 2, 116, 3.—Also, absol. : Augusti laudes agnoscere possis, you can recognize the praises of Augustus , * Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 29: accipio agnoscoque deos, Verg. A. 12, 260 (cf. accipio): agniti dempsere sollicitudinem, Tac. H. 2, 68: Germanicus, quo magis agnosceretur, detraxerat tegimen, id. A. 2, 21: terram non agnoscebant, Vulg. Act. 27, 39.—In gen., to become acquainted with , to know; to perceive , apprehend , understand , discern , remark , see : quin puppim flectis, Ulixe, Auribus ut nostros possis agnoscere cantus, Cic. Fin. 5, 18, 49 (as transl. of Hom. Od. 12, 185, Νῆα κατάστησον, ἵνα νωϊτέρην ὄπ᾽ ἀκούσῃς): haec dicta sunt subtilius ab Epicuro quam ut quivis ea possit agnoscere, understand , id. N. D. 1, 18, 49; Verg. A. 10, 843; Phaedr. 2, 5, 19: alienis pedibus ambulamus, alienis oculis agnoscimus, Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 19.