Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To reason methodically and logically.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Reasoned about.
- To reason; from two judgments to infer a third. The word usually implies an elaborate deductive operation.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To reason, esp. deductively; to offer reason or argument.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To use the powers of the
mind logically andmethodically ; toreason .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb reason methodologically and logically
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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But then it follows, not from hence neither, that the Soul accustomed to internal recollection, that can no longer ratiocinate, should always be meditating on, and considering (as the other Spiritualists say) the most holy Misteries of our Saviour.
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But I give you warning -- Stasie may weep and Henri ratiocinate -- it will not serve you twice.
Merry Men Robert Louis Stevenson 1872
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But don't ratiocinate with me -- I cannot bear it.
Merry Men Robert Louis Stevenson 1872
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The Cobbler put the forefinger of the right hand on the forefinger of the left; it is the gesture of a man about to ratiocinate or demonstrate, as Quintilian, in his remarks on the oratory of fingers, probably observes; or if he has failed to do so, it is a blot in his essay.
What Will He Do with It? — Complete Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton 1838
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The Cobbler put the forefinger of the right hand on the forefinger of the left; it is the gesture of a man about to ratiocinate or demonstrate, as
What Will He Do with It? — Volume 01 Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton 1838
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Imagine, then, that the Whiggery of Bow Street were to rise up against the proposition that their science was to be deduced from 'certain propensities of human nature,' and thereon were to ratiocinate as follows: --
Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches — Volume 2 Thomas Babington Macaulay Macaulay 1829
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Critical thinking means to ratiocinate, as opposed to merely engaging in rationalizing ...
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Critical thinking means to ratiocinate, as opposed to merely engaging in rationalizing ...
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Critical thinking means to ratiocinate, as opposed to merely engaging in rationalizing ...
Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local Chris NJ 2010
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quite often, when i have suspected that conduct was conspiratorial, it turned out to be the result of unimaginable levels of ignorance, unimaginable inabilities to ratiocinate.
Firedoglake » Deborah Howell and Fred Hiatt: Fact Free and Loving It 2006
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