contemplate

contemplate
\ \ [16] Etymologically, to contemplate something is to observe it in a ‘temple’. The word comes from the past participle of Latin contemplārī, a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix com- and templum. This word, source of course of English temple, originally signified a space marked out by augurs (priests in ancient Rome who interpreted omens) for making observations.
\ \ Hence contemplārī originally meant ‘observe omens carefully’, but its application soon became more general.
\ \ Cf.TEMPLE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Contemplate — Con tem*plate, v. i. To consider or think studiously; to ponder; to reflect; to muse; to meditate. [1913 Webster] So many hours must I contemplate. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • contemplate — [v1] think about seriously; plan aim, aspire to, brood over, chew over, consider, cool out*, deliberate, design, envisage, excogitate, expect, foresee, intend, kick around*, mean, meditate on, mind, mull over, muse over, observe, percolate,… …   New thesaurus

  • contemplate — ► VERB 1) look at thoughtfully. 2) think about. 3) think profoundly and at length. 4) have as a probable intention. DERIVATIVES contemplator noun. ORIGIN Latin contemplari survey, observe, contemplate , from templum …   English terms dictionary

  • contemplate — index anticipate (expect), brood, concentrate (pay attention), conjure, consider, deliberate, de …   Law dictionary

  • contemplate — 1590s, from L. contemplatus, pp. of contemplari survey, observe (see CONTEMPLATION (Cf. contemplation)). Related: Contemplated; contemplating …   Etymology dictionary

  • contemplate — 1 study, *consider, weigh, excogitate Analogous words: *ponder, meditate, muse, ruminate: reflect, cogitate, speculate, *think 2 observe, survey, notice, remark, note, perceive, discern, *see, view, behold, descry, espy Analogous words: * …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • contemplate — [kän′təm plāt΄] vt. contemplated, contemplating [< L contemplatus, pp. of contemplari, to gaze attentively, observe (orig., in augury, to mark out space for observation < com , intens. + templum,TEMPLE1] 1. to look at intently; gaze at 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • contemplate — verb ADVERB ▪ seriously ▪ She was seriously contemplating moving to Mexico. ▪ even ▪ How could you even contemplate such an idea? VERB + CONTEMPLATE ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • contemplate — con|tem|plate [ˈkɔntəmpleıt US ˈka:n ] v [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: , past participle of contemplari, from com ( COM ) + templum ( TEMPLE)] 1.) [T] to think about something that you might do in the future = ↑consider ▪ He had even… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • contemplate */*/ — UK [ˈkɒntəmˌpleɪt] / US [ˈkɑntəmˌpleɪt] verb Word forms contemplate : present tense I/you/we/they contemplate he/she/it contemplates present participle contemplating past tense contemplated past participle contemplated 1) a) [transitive] to… …   English dictionary

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