Adjacent Words

Meditate definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MED'ITATE, v.i. [L. meditor.]
1. To dwell on any thing in thought; to contemplate; to study; to turn or revolve any subject in the mind; appropriately but not exclusively used of pious contemplation, or a consideration of the great truths of religion.
His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalms 1.
2. To intend; to have in contemplation.
I meditate to pass the remainder of life in a state of undisturbed repose.
MED'ITATE, v.t. To plan by revolving in the mind; to contrive; to intend.
Some affirmed that I meditated a war.
1. To think on; to revolve in the mind.
Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: 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]
2: think intently and at length, as for spiritual purposes; "He is meditating in his study" [syn: study, meditate, contemplate]

Merriam Webster's

verb (-tated; -tating) Etymology: Latin meditatus, past participle of meditari, frequentative of med?ri to remedy — more at medical Date: 1560 intransitive verb 1. to engage in contemplation or reflection 2. to engage in mental exercise (as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness transitive verb 1. to focus one's thoughts on ; reflect on or ponder over 2. to plan or project in the mind ; intend, purpose Synonyms: see ponder • meditator noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 intr. a exercise the mind in (esp. religious) contemplation. b (usu. foll. by on, upon) focus on a subject in this manner. 2 tr. plan mentally; design. Derivatives: meditation n. meditator n. Etymology: L meditari contemplate

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Meditate Med"i*tate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Meditated; p. pr. & vb. n. Meditating.] [L. meditatus, p. p. of meditari to meditate; cf. Gr. ? to learn, E. mind.] To keep the mind in a state of contemplation; to dwell on anything in thought; to think seriously; to muse; to cogitate; to reflect. --Jer. Taylor. In his law doth he meditate day and night. --Ps. i. 2.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Meditate Med"i*tate, v. t. 1. To contemplate; to keep the mind fixed upon; to study. ``Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things.'' --Ecclus. xiv. 20. 2. To purpose; to intend; to design; to plan by revolving in the mind; as, to meditate a war. I meditate to pass the remainder of life in a state of undisturbed repose. --Washington. Syn: To consider; ponder; weigh; revolve; study. Usage: To Meditate, Contemplate, Intend. We meditate a design when we are looking out or waiting for the means of its accomplishment; we contemplate it when the means are at hand, and our decision is nearly or quite made. To intend is stronger, implying that we have decided to act when an opportunity may offer. A general meditates an attack upon the enemy; he contemplates or intends undertaking it at the earliest convenient season.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(meditates, meditating, meditated) 1. If you meditate on something, you think about it very carefully and deeply for a long time. On the day her son began school, she meditated on the uncertainties of his future. VERB: V on n 2. If you meditate you remain in a silent and calm state for a period of time, as part of a religious training or so that you are more able to deal with the problems and difficulties of everyday life. I was meditating, and reached a higher state of consciousness. VERB: V

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Plan, contrive, devise, scheme, concoct, intend, purpose, design. 2. Contemplate, study, chew, ruminate, think on, reflect upon, revolve in the mind, turn over in the mind, dwell intently upon, chew the cud upon. II. v. n. Muse, ponder, think, cogitate, ruminate, study, contemplate, reflect, rack, beat, or cudgel one's brains, collect one's thoughts, advise with one's pillow.

Moby Thesaurus

be abstracted, brood, brood over, cerebrate, chaw, chew over, chew the cud, cogitate, con over, conceive, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, deliberate over, deliberate upon, design, devise, digest, envisage, envision, frame, have in mind, have in view, introspect, meditate upon, mull, mull over, muse, muse on, muse over, perpend, plan, play around with, play with, ponder, ponder over, reflect, reflect over, reflect upon, revolve, ruminate, ruminate over, run over, scheme, speculate, study, think, think over, think up, toy with, turn over, weigh