Conceiving

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Conceive \Con*ceive"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Conceived}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Conceiving}.] [OF. conzoivre, concever, conceveir, F.
     concevoir, fr. L. oncipere to take, to conceive; con- +
     capere to seize or take. See {Capable}, and cf.
     {Conception}.]
     1. To receive into the womb and begin to breed; to begin the


        formation of the embryo of.
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              She hath also conceived a son in her old age. --Luke
                                                    i. 36.
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     2. To form in the mind; to plan; to devise; to generate; to
        originate; as, to conceive a purpose, plan, hope.
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              It was among the ruins of the Capitol that I first
              conceived the idea of a work which has amused and
              exercised near twenty years of my life. --Gibbon.
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              Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of
              falsehood.                            --Is. lix. 13.
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     3. To apprehend by reason or imagination; to take into the
        mind; to know; to imagine; to comprehend; to understand.
        "I conceive you." --Hawthorne.
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              O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart
              Cannot conceive nor name thee!        --Shak.
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              You will hardly conceive him to have been bred in
              the same climate.                     --Swift.
  
     Syn: To apprehend; imagine; suppose; understand; comprehend;
          believe; think.
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