Rumination

2 definitions found

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

  Rumination \Ru`mi*na"tion\, n. [L. ruminatio: cf. F.
     rumination.]
     1. The act or process of ruminating, or chewing the cud; the
        habit of chewing the cud.
        [1913 Webster]
  


              Rumination is given to animals to enable them at
              once to lay up a great store of food, and afterward
              to chew it.                           --Arbuthnot.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The state of being disposed to ruminate or ponder;
        deliberate meditation or reflection.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Retiring full of rumination sad.      --Thomson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Physiol.) The regurgitation of food from the stomach
        after it has been swallowed, -- occasionally observed as a
        morbid phenomenon in man.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  rumination
       n 1: a calm lengthy intent consideration [syn: {contemplation}, {reflection},
             {reflexion}, {musing}, {thoughtfulness}]
       2: (of ruminants) chewing (the cud); "ruminants have remarkable
          powers of rumination"
       3: regurgitation of small amounts of food; seen in some infants
          after feeding