Library / English Dictionary

MEDITATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reflect deeply on a subject

Example:

The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate

Synonyms:

chew over; contemplate; excogitate; meditate; mull; mull over; muse; ponder; reflect; ruminate; speculate; think over

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "meditate" is one way to...):

cerebrate; cogitate; think (use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "meditate"):

premeditate (think or reflect beforehand or in advance)

theologise; theologize (make theoretical speculations about theology or discuss theological subjects)

introspect (reflect on one's own thoughts and feelings)

bethink (consider or ponder something carefully)

cogitate (consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind)

question; wonder (place in doubt or express doubtful speculation)

puzzle (be uncertain about; think about without fully understanding or being able to decide)

consider; study (give careful consideration to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

meditation (continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature)

meditative (deeply or seriously thoughtful)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Think intently and at length, as for spiritual purposes

Example:

He is meditating in his study

Synonyms:

contemplate; meditate; study

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "meditate" is one way to...):

cerebrate; cogitate; think (use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

meditation (continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature)

meditation ((religion) contemplation of spiritual matters (usually on religious or philosophical subjects))

meditative (deeply or seriously thoughtful)

Credits

 Context examples: 

After supper she undertook the German, and blundered through it, nearly upsetting her partner with her long skirt, and romping in a way that scandalized Laurie, who looked on and meditated a lecture.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

And White Fang licked his hurts and meditated upon this, his first taste of pack-cruelty and his introduction to the pack.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Another good place to meet someone would be at a retreat where people go to meditate or find spiritual or religious inspiration.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

"I see," he meditated.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Yet, I think, none treated him better than a dog, unless it was Ben Gunn, who was still terribly afraid of his old quartermaster, or myself, who had really something to thank him for; although for that matter, I suppose, I had reason to think even worse of him than anybody else, for I had seen him meditating a fresh treachery upon the plateau.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He was friendly, in a treacherous sort of way, smiling into one’s face the while he meditated some underhand trick, as, for instance, when he stole from Buck’s food at the first meal.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

She was obliged to recollect that her seeing the letter was a violation of the laws of honour, that no one ought to be judged or to be known by such testimonies, that no private correspondence could bear the eye of others, before she could recover calmness enough to return the letter which she had been meditating over, and say—Thank you.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I sat down in a great chair upon the hearth to meditate on my happiness; and had enjoyed the contemplation of it for some time, when I found a likeness of Miss Dartle looking eagerly at me from above the chimney-piece.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

As I sat quietly meditating at my table, I heard something bounce in at the closet-window, and skip about from one side to the other: whereat, although I was much alarmed, yet I ventured to look out, but not stirring from my seat; and then I saw this frolicsome animal frisking and leaping up and down, till at last he came to my box, which he seemed to view with great pleasure and curiosity, peeping in at the door and every window.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Visions of good and ill breeding, of old vulgarisms and new gentilities, were before her; and she was meditating much upon silver forks, napkins, and finger-glasses.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)