contemplatecon‧tem‧plate /ˈkɒntəmpleɪt $ ˈkɑːn-/ ●○○ verb 
He had even contemplated suicide.contemplate doing something Did you ever contemplate resigning?► see thesaurus at think2[transitive] to accept the possibility that something is truetoo dreadful/horrifying etc to contemplate The thought that she might be dead was too terrible to contemplate.3[intransitive, transitive] to think about something seriously for a period of time SYN consider: Jack went on vacation to contemplate his future.contemplate what/whether/how etc She sat down and contemplated what she had done.contemplate your navel (=think so much about your own life that you do not notice other important things – used humorously)4[transitive] to look at someone or something for a period of time in a way that shows you are thinking: He contemplated her with a faint smile.
WORD ORIGINcontemplate
Origin:
1500-1600 Latin past participle of contemplari, from com- ( ➔ COM-) + templum ( ➔ TEMPLE)VERB TABLE
contemplate
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | contemplate |
| he, she, it | contemplates | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | contemplated |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have contemplated |
| he, she, it | has contemplated | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had contemplated |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will contemplate |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have contemplated |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am contemplating |
| he, she, it | is contemplating | |
| you, we, they | are contemplating | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was contemplating |
| you, we, they | were contemplating | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been contemplating |
| he, she, it | has been contemplating | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been contemplating |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be contemplating |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been contemplating |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A spokeswoman denied that job losses were being contemplated.
- Isn't 17 a little young to be contemplating marriage?
- Many years ago he had contemplated writing a book about his childhood.
- The government was contemplating fining anyone who was found within the island's danger zone.
- The rollercoaster stops briefly during each of the loops so that riders can contemplate their own mortality.
- Five years back he would not have even contemplated the Wiring Project.
- It starts when organizational leaders, planners, and consultants are contemplating the alternatives available to them at a strategic moment.
- Meanwhile the audience contemplates his grand opus, wondering what comes next.
- Run, I think now as I sit in the dark contemplating Marcy Lupino.
- Secondly, we shall need to contemplate the various options available for disposing of the company's properties.
- The dealer contemplated suing the recruitment agency until he found a better job.
- Though family planning services are theoretically available to them, they are not even contemplated at such an early age.
THESAURUSto think about something
to use your mind to decide about something, form an opinion, imagine something etc: · I’ve been thinking about what you said – maybe you’re right.· I need some time to think.
to think about something carefully before deciding what to do: · Have you considered working for a year before going to college?
(also weigh up British English) to carefully think about a plan or choice by comparing all the advantages and disadvantages involved: · You need to weigh up the pros and cons (=the advantages and disadvantages), and decide which investment is the best one for you.· The committee are still weighing the alternatives.
to think carefully about something, before you make a final decision about it: · Why don’t you give it some thought and then get back to me?· He had obviously given the matter a lot of thought.
to think about a problem, plan etc before making a decision: · Can you give me a bit of time to mull it over?
to spend time thinking carefully and seriously about something, especially a problem or something complicated: · She is still pondering what to do.· Officials are pondering ways to remove the oil from the beaches.
to think about something you might do in the future: · Did you ever contemplate resigning?
formal to think carefully about something, especially something that happened in the past: · It was a good time to reflect upon the changes that had happened in my life.
Longman Language Activatorto think about something you might do in the future · Have you ever thought about a cruise to the Bahamas?think about/of doing something · I'm thinking of specializing in Russian and Chinese.· We thought about going away for a week or two, but neither of us have time.
to think seriously about something important you intend to do in the future - use this especially in written and formal contexts: · Isn't 17 a little young to be contemplating marriage?contemplate doing something: · Many years ago he had contemplated writing a book about his childhood.· The government was contemplating fining anyone who was found within the island's danger zone.
to think about something that you might possibly do in the future, but without definitely deciding whether you will do it or not: · We began to consider the possibility of moving to Japan permanently.· For any skin problem, it's worth considering a change of diet.consider doing something: · I considered driving out to Atlantic City to meet her.· Have you considered getting a new car?
to think about doing something in the future, but not very seriously because you probably will not do it: · Lately I've been toying with the idea of a trip to South America.toy with the idea of doing something: · He began toying with the idea of writing a book about his years in the FBI. · As late as the age of forty, I toyed with the idea of going back to college.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The thought that she might be dead was too terrible to contemplate.
1[transitive] to think about something that you might do in the future SYN consider: The thought that she might be dead was too terrible to contemplate. (=think so much about your own life that you do not notice other important things – used humorously)
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=think that you might try to kill yourself)· I contemplated suicide on several occasions after my daughter died.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Five years back he would not have even contemplated the Wiring Project.· Though family planning services are theoretically available to them, they are not even contemplated at such an early age.· Perhaps we should even contemplate some naval action to alleviate the blockade and bring help to the 50,000 civilians still trapped there.· We had even contemplated living there permanently.· It's despair that anyone can even contemplate the idea of dropping a bomb or ordering that it should be dropped.· These policies even contemplated the nationalization of industry, in rather more detail than had ever been considered by the Labour Party.· At £166.75 this was far too expensive for most runners to even contemplate.· These are the people who, however, hard it may seem, should really not even contemplate lining up at Blackheath.
· No drug company would ever contemplate issuing a medicine which had so many unproven and untested facets to it.· Whether he ever contemplated replacing the monks by secular canons, we do not know.· It was not a situation I have ever contemplated encountering.· But nothing sustained and organised of this kind was ever contemplated in London.· If he had, how could he ever contemplate marrying another woman?
· She saw her aloneness, now loneliness, and she saw the vista of age, which she had never contemplated before.· Often she will be able to sleep with rising superstars and juvenile celebrities who will profess love but never contemplate marrying her.
· And besides, Hudson was just too attractive to be seriously contemplated.· Whether or not he seriously contemplated stepping down is, in fact, unclear.· It would actually discourage expansion and seems too silly for the Government to seriously contemplate.
NOUN· Perhaps we should even contemplate some naval action to alleviate the blockade and bring help to the 50,000 civilians still trapped there.· He never acquires the ability to picture his feelings and is thereby unable to fully contemplate his actions in advance.· This, they believe, is the lesson which other Third World figures contemplating similar action are meant to learn.· All thought the blueprint hadn't worked; at least one was contemplating legal action.
· Skipper Steve Walsh was sent off, and manager Brian Little is contemplating a change of armband after that.· The reasons people contemplate job changes are many and varied.· This is a complicated area, where professional advice is recommended if you are contemplating a change.· The review drew criticism as overly secretive, especially as it became clear that Rumsfeld was contemplating major change.
· Now my company is contemplating firing me.· No drug company would ever contemplate issuing a medicine which had so many unproven and untested facets to it.· There is no doubt that the convention offers far from ideal terms for private companies contemplating nodule-mining.
· I was squatting there, contemplating my future, when suddenly the door burst open.· Jack went west for a holiday in the summer of 1954 while he contemplated his future.· She peeled off her wrap, threw herself down on the bunk and gloomily contemplated the future.
· Only if public order appeared to be on the verge of breaking down would the government contemplate restricting political liberty.· Equalising at 60 is far too expensive for the Government to contemplate.· Or is it possible that the Government are contemplating a repetition of the 1986 strikes on civilian targets in Benghazi and Tripoli?· It would actually discourage expansion and seems too silly for the Government to seriously contemplate.· Before Mr Lawson's speech the markets had decided that the Government was unwilling to contemplate another increase.
· They are the reason I could not contemplate a life lacking a daily sight of hills.· As for those who did not, it was too soon to contemplate the radically altered life that awaited them.· Then came the moment that may yet help to keep Bradford up and leave Wimbledon to contemplate life in the Nationwide League.· In contrast, the sea leaves no marks and man can then contemplate the essentials of life.
· However, when the unions proved reluctant to make concessions, the employers would have to contemplate the possibility of a lockout.· Paragraph 11 is objectionable also, in my opinion, in that it appears to contemplate the possibility of a class remedy.· Bismarck had refused to contemplate the possibility of Prussian judges exercising a supervision over political decisions.· Was she really contemplating the possibility that he could be involved in something illegal?
VERB· Bismarck had refused to contemplate the possibility of Prussian judges exercising a supervision over political decisions.· Paige pushed the thought away; until the day dawned that she had to she refused to contemplate it.
· As Guy sat contemplating this conclusion, a fair-haired child came racing around the corner of the north tower.· Run, I think now as I sit in the dark contemplating Marcy Lupino.· He read the note and then sat there silently contemplating the blossoms.
He had even contemplated suicide.contemplate doing something Did you ever contemplate resigning?► see thesaurus at think2[transitive] to accept the possibility that something is truetoo dreadful/horrifying etc to contemplate The thought that she might be dead was too terrible to contemplate.3[intransitive, transitive] to think about something seriously for a period of time SYN consider: Jack went on vacation to contemplate his future.contemplate what/whether/how etc She sat down and contemplated what she had done.contemplate your navel (=think so much about your own life that you do not notice other important things – used humorously)4[transitive] to look at someone or something for a period of time in a way that shows you are thinking: He contemplated her with a faint smile.