DELIBERATE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does deliberate mean? 

• DELIBERATE (adjective)
  The adjective DELIBERATE has 3 senses:

1. carefully thought out in advance

2. unhurried and with care and dignity

3. characterized by conscious design or purpose

  Familiarity information: DELIBERATE used as an adjective is uncommon.

• DELIBERATE (verb)
  The verb DELIBERATE has 2 senses:

1. think about carefully; weigh

2. discuss the pros and cons of an issue

  Familiarity information: DELIBERATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DELIBERATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Carefully thought out in advance

Synonyms:

calculated; deliberate; measured

Context example:

he made a deliberate decision not to respond negatively

Similar:

intended (resulting from one's intentions)

Derivation:

deliberateness (the trait of thoughtfulness in action or decision)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Unhurried and with care and dignity

Synonyms:

careful; deliberate; measured

Context example:

with all deliberate speed

Similar:

unhurried (relaxed and leisurely; without hurry or haste)

Derivation:

deliberateness (a rate demonstrating an absence of haste or hurry)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Characterized by conscious design or purpose

Synonyms:

deliberate; intentional; knowing

Context example:

a deliberate attempt to provoke a response

Similar:

intended (resulting from one's intentions)

• DELIBERATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they deliberate ... he / she / it deliberates   
Past simple: deliberated   
Past participle: deliberated   
-ing form: deliberating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Think about carefully; weigh

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

consider; debate; deliberate; moot; turn over

Context example:

Turn the proposal over in your mind

Hypernyms (to "deliberate" is one way to...):

discuss; hash out; talk over (speak with others about (something); talk (something) over in detail; have a discussion)

Verb group:

consider; study (give careful consideration to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "deliberate"):

see (deliberate or decide)

premeditate (consider, ponder, or plan (an action) beforehand)

debate (argue with one another)

wrestle (engage in deep thought, consideration, or debate)

think twice (consider and reconsider carefully)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Derivation:

deliberation (the trait of thoughtfulness in action or decision)

deliberation (careful consideration)

deliberation ((usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Discuss the pros and cons of an issue

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

debate; deliberate

Hypernyms (to "deliberate" is one way to...):

discuss; hash out; talk over (speak with others about (something); talk (something) over in detail; have a discussion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "deliberate"):

vex (subject to prolonged examination, discussion, or deliberation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence examples:

Sam and Sue deliberate
Sam wants to deliberate with Sue

Derivation:

deliberation (the trait of thoughtfulness in action or decision)

deliberation (careful consideration)

deliberation ((usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question)

deliberative (involved in or characterized by deliberation and discussion and examination)

 Context examples 

His deliberate aim in life seemed to be that of a maker of laughter.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

And now, with the love-master, his snuggling was the deliberate act of putting himself into a position of hopeless helplessness.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The situation was difficult enough before, but if the obstructions of Nature were increased by the deliberate opposition of man, then our case was indeed a hopeless one.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It seems to have been a very deliberate affair.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She put down the letter, weighed every circumstance with what she meant to be impartiality—deliberated on the probability of each statement—but with little success.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

With its stocky legs set squarely at each corner of its compact, muscular body, its deliberate gait has become a waddle.

(English Bulldog, NCI Thesaurus)

There’s no need to spend much time deliberating the answer—your first response will be the right answer.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Once, it entered his mind that there was a deliberate rebuff in all this.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Well,” said he, in a deliberating manner, “for five minutes, perhaps.”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The night following this affair—I was to go the next morning—was spent by me in deliberating on what my future conduct should be.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)