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Esp

/iː ɛs ˈpiː/

nounverbC2

Definition

ESP means the ability to get information or understand something without using the usual senses like eyes, ears, or skin. People say ESP includes things like reading minds, seeing the future, or sensing things far away. It is not proven by science but is popular in stories and movies about the supernatural.

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Extrasensory perception as a psychic ability

  • •Some people believe they have ESP and can read others' thoughts.
  • •The movie shows a character using ESP to solve mysteries.
  • •ESP is often part of science fiction and fantasy stories.

To use ESP (verb form, informal)

  • •She esped the answer before anyone spoke.
  • •He claimed to esp the outcome of the game.

Make It Stick

  • ✓Think of "ESP" like "sense," but without using your eyes, ears, or hands—it is a special kind of knowing.
  • ✓Picture someone feeling what another person thinks without talking or seeing them.
  • ✓It's the feeling when you suddenly know something is going to happen, like a strong guess or hunch.
  • ✓Sounds like the letters "E-S-P" said fast → imagine these letters as a secret code for special mind powers.
  • ✓In stories, characters with ESP can read minds or predict events, like superheroes or psychics.
  • ✓NOT like "see" or "hear" (which use normal senses), ESP is about knowing without these senses.
  • ✓NOT like "guess" (which uses some information), ESP is believed to happen without any normal clues.

Try Other Words

  • •Psychic ability: special mental power to know things beyond normal senses (Use when talking about people with special mind powers)
  • •Sixth sense: a feeling or knowledge beyond the five senses (Use in casual or informal talk about intuition or ESP)
  • •Intuition: a natural feeling or understanding without conscious reasoning (Use when the knowledge comes from inside but not necessarily supernatural)

Unboxing

  • •Word parts: abbreviation of "extrasensory perception"
  • •Etymology: from Latin "extra-" meaning "beyond," and "sensory" relating to senses, plus "perception" meaning understanding or awareness
  • •Historical development: term became popular in the 20th century with studies on psychic phenomena
  • •Modern usage: mostly used in paranormal, psychic, and science fiction contexts; not accepted as scientific fact

Reflect & Connect

•Can you think of a time when you had a feeling that something would happen before it did? Was that like ESP or just a guess?
•How do stories about ESP change the way people think about the mind and what humans can do?

Fill in the blanks

1.Some people believe ESP allows them to know ___ without using their eyes or ears.
2.When a character in a story uses ESP, they often ___ what others are thinking or feeling.
3.ESP is different from a simple guess because it does not use ___ information.
4.She claimed to have ESP and could ___ the future before it happened.
5.The idea of ESP is often called the ___ sense because it is beyond the five normal senses.
6.People who say they have ESP believe it is a special ___ power.
7.In movies, ESP is shown as a way to solve problems without ___ normal communication.