Adjacent Words

Contemplate definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CONTEMPLATE, v.t. [L.]
1. To view or consider with continued attention; to study; to meditate on. This word expresses the attention of the mind, but sometimes in connection with that of the eyes; as, to contemplate the heavens. More generally, the act of the mind only is intended; as, to contemplate the wonders of redemption; to contemplate the state of the nation and its future prospects.
2. To consider or have in view, in reference to a future act or event; to intend.
A decree of the National Assembly of France, June 26, 1792, contemplates a supply from the United States of four millions of livres.
There remain some particulars to complete the information contemplated by those resolutions.
If a treaty contains any stipulations which contemplate a state of future war.
CONTEMPLATE, v.i. To think studiously; to study; to muse; to meditate.
He delights to contemplate on the works of creation.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought; "contemplate one's navel"
2: consider as a possibility; "I contemplated leaving school and taking a full-time job"
3: think intently and at length, as for spiritual purposes; "He is meditating in his study" [syn: study, meditate, contemplate]
4: reflect deeply on a subject; "I mulled over the events of the afternoon"; "philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years"; "The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate" [syn: chew over, think over, meditate, ponder, excogitate, contemplate, muse, reflect, mull, mull over, ruminate, speculate]

Merriam Webster's

verb (-plated; -plating) Etymology: Latin contemplatus, past participle of contemplari, from com- + templum space marked out for observation of auguries — more at temple Date: circa 1533 transitive verb 1. to view or consider with continued attention ; meditate on <contemplate the vastness of the universe> 2. to view as contingent or probable or as an end or intention <contemplate marriage> intransitive verb ponder, meditate Synonyms: see consider • contemplator noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. survey with the eyes or in the mind. 2 tr. regard (an event) as possible. 3 tr. intend; have as one's purpose (we contemplate leaving tomorrow). 4 intr. meditate. Derivatives: contemplation n. contemplator n. Etymology: L contemplari (as com-, templum place for observations)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Contemplate Con"tem*plate, v. i. To consider or think studiously; to ponder; to reflect; to muse; to meditate. So many hours must I contemplate. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Contemplate Con"tem*plate (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contemplated (# or #); p. pr. & vb. n. Contemplating.] [L. contemplatus, p. p. of contemplari to contemplate; con- + templum a space for observation marked out by the augur. See Temple.] 1. To look at on all sides or in all its bearings; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study. To love, at least contemplate and admire, What I see excellent. --Milton. We thus dilate Our spirits to the size of that they contemplate. --Byron. 2. To consider or have in view, as contingent or probable; to look forward to; to purpose; to intend. There remain some particulars to complete the information contemplated by those resolutions. --A. Hamilton. If a treaty contains any stipulations which contemplate a state of future war. --Kent. Syn: To view; behold; study; ponder; muse; meditate on; reflect on; consider; intend; design; plan; propose; purpose. See Meditate.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(contemplates, contemplating, contemplated) 1. If you contemplate an action, you think about whether to do it or not. For a time he contemplated a career as an army medical doctor... She contemplates leaving for the sake of the kids. = consider VERB: V n/-ing, V n/-ing 2. If you contemplate an idea or subject, you think about it carefully for a long time. As he lay in his hospital bed that night, he cried as he contemplated his future... VERB: V n • contemplation It is a place of quiet contemplation. N-UNCOUNT 3. If you contemplate something or someone, you look at them for a long time. He contemplated his hands, still frowning. VERB: V n • contemplation He was lost in the contemplation of the landscape for a while. N-UNCOUNT: oft N of n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Gaze upon, view attentively, look abroad upon, survey. 2. Study, ponder, survey, meditate on, dwell on, think about, reflect upon, muse on, consider attentively, revolve in the mind. 3. Intend, purpose, design, think of, have in view, have in contemplation, look forward to.

Moby Thesaurus

aim, anticipate, be abstracted, bear in mind, behold, bone, brood, brood over, chew over, chew the cud, con, consider, debate, deliberate, deliberate over, design, dig, digest, dread, drift, drill, elucubrate, entertain thoughts of, envisage, envision, examine, excogitate, expect, eye, face, foreglimpse, foresee, foretaste, give the eye, give the once-over, go over, grind, harbor an idea, hard look, have in mind, have in view, have thoughts about, hold an idea, hold the thought, hope, image, imagine, inspect, intend, introspect, keep in mind, leer, leer at, look ahead, look at, look beyond, look forward to, look over, look upon, lucubrate, mean, meditate, mind, mull over, muse, muse on, muse over, observe, ogle, ogle at, perpend, peruse, plan, play around with, play with, plunge into, ponder, ponder over, pore, pore over, practice, predict, presume, read, reflect, regard, regard studiously, restudy, review, roam, ruminate, ruminate over, scan, scrutinize, see, see ahead, see beforehand, size up, speculate, study, survey, swot, take a long, take for granted, take stock of, think, think about, think of, think over, toy with, vet, view, visualize, wade through, weigh