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Reflect vs Cogitate - What's the difference?

reflect | cogitate | Synonyms |

Cogitate is a synonym of reflect.



In transitive terms the difference between reflect and cogitate

is that reflect is to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc while cogitate is to consider, to devise.

In intransitive terms the difference between reflect and cogitate

is that reflect is (think seriously) To think seriously; to ponder or consider while cogitate is to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply.

reflect

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
  • To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
  • To mirror, or show the image of something.
    • The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
  • To be mirrored.
    • His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
  • To agree with; to closely follow.
    • Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
  • To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
    • 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
  • (senseid) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
    • People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
  • * 1985 , , Option Lock , page 229:
    • 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.

    Synonyms

    * See also
    Derived terms
    * reflective * reflexion * unreflective * nonreflective * reflectorize

    cogitate

    English

    Verb

    (cogitat)
  • To meditate, to ponder, to think deeply.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • He that calleth a thing into his mind, whether by impression or recordation, cogitateth and considereth, and he that employeth the faculty of his fancy also cogitateth.
  • * 1953 ,
    • Think, ladies! Cogitate ! Sharpen up the edges of your wit.
  • To consider, to devise.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * cogibundity * cogitation