Infer vs Reflect - What's the difference?
infer | reflect |
To introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence.
* 2010 , "Keep calm, but don't carry on", The Economist , 7 Oct 2010:
To lead to (something) as a consequence; to imply. (Now often considered incorrect, especially with a person as subject.)
*, II.3:
* Shakespeare
* Sir Thomas More
(obsolete) To cause, inflict (something) (upon) or (to) someone.
* 1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , VI.8:
(obsolete) To introduce (a subject) in speaking, writing etc.; to bring in.
* Shakespeare
To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
To mirror, or show the image of something.
To be mirrored.
To agree with; to closely follow.
To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
*
(senseid) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
* 1985 , , Option Lock , page 229:
In lang=en terms the difference between infer and reflect
is that infer is to lead to (something) as a consequence; to imply (now often considered incorrect, especially with a person as subject) while reflect is to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.As verbs the difference between infer and reflect
is that infer is to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence while reflect is to bend back (light, etc) from a surface.infer
English
Verb
(inferr)- It is dangerous to infer too much from martial bluster in British politics: at the first hint of trouble, channelling Churchill is a default tactic for beleaguered leaders of all sorts.
- These and a thousand like propositions, which concurre in this purpose, do evidently inferre .
- This doth infer the zeal I had to see him.
- The first part is not the proof of the second, but rather contrariwise, the second inferreth well the first.
- faire Serena.
- Full well hath Clifford played the orator, / Inferring arguments of mighty force.
Usage notes
There are two ways in which the word "infer" is sometimes used as if it meant "imply". "Implication" is done by a person when making a "statement", whereas "inference" is done to a proposition after it had already been made or assumed. Secondly, the word "infer" can sometimes be used to mean "allude" or "express" in a suggestive manner rather than as a direct "statement". Using the word "infer" in this sense is now generally considered incorrect.[http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000232.htm
Synonyms
* assume, conclude, deduce, construeAnagrams
* ----reflect
English
Verb
(en verb)- A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
- The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
- The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
- His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
- Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
- The team's victory reflects the Captain's abilities.
- The teacher's ability reflects well on the school.
- With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
- People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
- Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.