3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Reflect  \Re*flect"\  (r?*fl?kt"),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p. 
  {Reflected};  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Reflecting}.]  [L.  reflectere 
  reflexum  pref.  re-  re-  +  flectere  to  bend  or  turn.  See 
  {Flexible},  and  cf  {Reflex},  v.] 
  1.  To  bend  back  to  give  a  backwa?d  turn  to  to  throw  back 
  especially,  to  cause  to  return  after  striking  upon  any 
  surface;  as  a  mirror  reflects  rays  of  light;  polished 
  metals  reflect  heat. 
 
  Let  me  mind  the  reader  to  reflect  his  eye  on  our 
  quotations.  --Fuller. 
 
  Bodies  close  together  reflect  their  own  color. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  To  give  back  an  image  or  likeness  of  to  mirror. 
 
  Nature  is  the  glass  reflecting  God,  As  by  the  sea 
  reflected  is  the  sun.  --Young. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Reflect  \Re*flect"\  v.  i. 
  1.  To  throw  back  light,  heat,  or  the  like  to  return  rays  or 
  beams. 
 
  2.  To  be  sent  back  to  rebound  as  from  a  surface;  to  revert; 
  to  return. 
 
  Whose  virtues  will  I  hope,  Reflect  on  Rome,  as 
  Titan's  rays  on  earth.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  To  throw  or  turn  back  the  thoughts  upon  anything  to 
  contemplate.  Specifically:  To  attend  earnestly  to  what 
  passes  within  the  mind;  to  attend  to  the  facts  or 
  phenomena  of  consciousness;  to  use  attention  or  earnest 
  thought;  to  meditate;  especially,  to  think  in  relation  to 
  moral  truth  or  rules 
 
  We  can  not  be  said  to  reflect  upon  any  external 
  object,  except  so  far  as  that  object  has  been 
  previously  perceived,  and  its  image  become  part  and 
  parcel  of  our  intellectual  furniture.  --Sir  W. 
  Hamilton. 
 
  All  men  are  concious  of  the  operations  of  their  own 
  minds,  at  all  times,  while  they  are  awake,  but  there 
  few  who  reflect  upon  them  or  make  them  objects  of 
  thought.  --Reid. 
 
  As  I  much  reflected,  much  I  mourned.  --Prior. 
 
  4.  To  cast  reproach;  to  cause  censure  or  dishonor. 
 
  Errors  of  wives  reflect  on  husbands  still  --Dryden. 
 
  Neither  do  I  reflect  in  the  least  upon  the  memory  of 
  his  late  majesty.  --Swift. 
 
  Syn:  To  consider;  think;  cogitate;  mediate;  contemplate; 
  ponder;  muse;  ruminate. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  reflect 
  v  1:  bring  back  "This  action  reflects  his  true  beliefs" 
  2:  think  about  at  length  and  in  depth;  "I  mulled  over  the 
  events  of  the  afternoon"  [syn:  {chew  over},  {think  over}, 
  {meditate},  {ponder},  {contemplate},  {muse},  {mull},  {mull 
  over},  {ruminate},  {speculate}] 
  3:  to  throw  or  bend  back  from  a  surface;  "A  mirror  in  the  sun 
  can  reflect  light  into  a  person's  eyes." 
  4:  be  bright  by  reflecting  or  casting  light  [syn:  {shine}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words