Thĭnk1, v. i.
v. i. [imp. & p. p. THOUGHT (thawt); p. pr. & vb. n. THINKING.] [A-S. thencean, thencan, thyncean, thyncan, O. Sax. thenkjan, Icel. thenkja, Sw. tänka, Dan. tänke, O. Fries. thenkja, thanka, Goth. thagkjan, thaggkjan, thankjan, O. H. Ger. dankjan, denkjan, denchan, thenkan, M. & N. H. Ger. & D. denken.] To employ any of the intellectual powers except sense and perception; hence, specifically, (a.) To exercise the mind; to call any thing to mind; to remember; as, I would have sent the books, but I did not think of it.
Well thought upon; I have it here. Shak.
For that I am I know, because I think. Dryden.
(b.) To reflect upon any subject; to muse; to meditate; to consider; to deliberate.
And when he thought thereon, he wept. Mark xiv. 72.
He thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? Luke xii. 17.
(c.) To ponder anxiously; hence, to give way to grief or despondency. [Obs.] Marston. (d.) To form an opinion; to judge; to believe; as, I think it will rain to-morrow.
Let them marry to whom they think best. Num. xxxvi. 6.
(e.) To purpose; to intend; to design.
I thought to promote thee unto great honor. Num. xxiv. 11.
Thou thought’st to help me. Shak.
(f.) To presume; to venture.
Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father. Matt. iii. 9.
☞ To think, in a philosophical use as yet very limited, designates the higher intellectual acts, the acts pre-eminently rational; to judge; to compare; to reason. See THOUGHT.
To think much of, or to think well of, to hold in esteem; to esteem.
Synonyms—To expect; guess; cogitate; reflect; ponder; contemplate; meditate; muse; imagine; suppose; believe. See EXPECT, GUESS.