Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Done with or marked by full consciousness of the nature and effects; intentional.
  • adjective Arising from or marked by careful consideration: synonym: voluntary.
  • adjective Unhurried and careful.
  • intransitive verb To think carefully and often slowly, as about a choice to be made.
  • intransitive verb To consult with another or others in a process of reaching a decision.
  • intransitive verb To consider (a matter) carefully and often slowly, as by weighing alternatives.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To weigh in the mind; weigh the arguments or considerations for and against; think or reflect upon; consider.
  • To think carefully or attentively; consider and examine the reasons for and against a proposition; estimate the weight or force of arguments, or the probable consequences of an action, in order to a choice or decision; reflect carefully upon what is to be done; consider.
  • More loosely, to pause and consider; stop to reflect.
  • Synonyms To ponder, cogitate, reflect, debate, think, meditate, ruminate, muse.
  • Weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of an action; circumspect; careful and slow in deciding: applied to persons.
  • Formed or done with careful consideration and full intention; well weighed or considered; not sudden or rash: applied to thoughts or acts: as, a deliberate opinion; a deliberate purpose; a deliberate falsehood.
  • Characterized by slowness in decision or action; slow.
  • Synonyms and Cautious, cool, wary, careful, thoughtful.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To weigh in the mind; to consider the reasons for and against; to consider maturely; to reflect upon; to ponder.
  • intransitive verb To take counsel with one's self; to weigh the arguments for and against a proposed course of action; to reflect; to consider; to hesitate in deciding; -- sometimes with on, upon, about, concerning.
  • adjective Weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step; circumspect; slow in determining; -- applied to persons.
  • adjective Formed with deliberation; well-advised; carefully considered; not sudden or rash
  • adjective Not hasty or sudden; slow.
  • adjective having awareness of the likely consequences; intentional.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Done on purpose; intentional.
  • adjective Of a person, weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step; circumspect; slow in determining.
  • adjective Formed with deliberation; well-advised; carefully considered; not sudden or rash.
  • adjective Not hasty or sudden; slow.
  • verb To consider carefully.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb think about carefully; weigh
  • verb discuss the pros and cons of an issue
  • adjective carefully thought out in advance
  • adjective unhurried and with care and dignity

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin dēlīberātus, past participle of dēlīberāre, to consider, weigh : dē-, de- + lībrāre, to balance (from lībra, a balance, scales).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin deliberatus, past participle of delibero ("I consider, weigh well"), from de + *libero, libro ("I weigh"), from *libera, libra ("a balance"); see librate.

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Examples

  • After what she calls a deliberate campaign to keep her from meeting performance targets – including by giving her an out-of-the-way desk where customers couldn't find her – she was fired in August, according to her complaints.

    Debrahlee Lorenzana Asks Human Rights Officials To Investigate Citibank (VIDEO) 2010

  • LEHRER: Well, in my book I profiled some pilots and talk about how pilots learn to practice what they call deliberate calm, and the other thing that gets back to why they practice in flight simulators.

    CNN Transcript Feb 5, 2009 2009

  • In my not-so-humble opinion, there are a number of distinct examples of that sort of thing, but one of the most annoying is what I call the deliberate misunderstanding of your point.

    The Twatrick just never ends, does it? CC 2008

  • In my not-so-humble opinion, there are a number of distinct examples of that sort of thing, but one of the most annoying is what I call the deliberate misunderstanding of your point.

    Archive 2008-04-01 Lindsay Stewart 2008

  • She's accusing the Bush administration of what she calls deliberate neglect.

    CNN Transcript Jan 24, 2006 2006

  • Du Toit, who has been in jail since April 2002, told the judge he would not have a fair trial because of what he termed the deliberate delay tactics used by the prosecution.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2004

  • The report also notes what it calls deliberate and continuous absenteeism "perpetrated in order to engage in remunerative work outside the public service".

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2004

  • Stofile said he had been shocked to learn of Tanana's remarks and would seek legal opinion on what he called deliberate slander.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1999

  • Prime Minister Ahmed Abdou, in a radio address Thursday, blamed what he called deliberate "destabilization" on "elements opposed to the regime."

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1997

  • Africa's development, and he condemned what he described as a deliberate campaign by the West to destroy Nigeria.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1996

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