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deliberate

adjective

  1. intended
L7796 on Wikidata ↗

verb

  1. ponder, consider carefully, discuss
L7797 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət/ / /dɪˈlɪb.ɚ.ət/ / /dəˈlɪb.ɚ.ət/

adj

Etymology: Inherited from Middle English deliberat(e), borrowed from Latin dēlīberātus, perfect passive participle of dēlīberō (“to consider, weigh well”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- + *līberō / lībrō (“to weigh”)), from *libera / libra (“a balance”); see librate. Doublet of deliber.

  1. Done on purpose; intentional.

    a deliberate attempt to cover up his crime

    The massacre of up to 8,000 Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995 was an act of genocide in a deliberate attempt by the Bosnian Serb leadership to exterminate part of the Muslim community, appeal judges ruled in a crucial case at the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague yesterday.

  2. Formed with deliberation; carefully considered; not sudden or rash.

    a deliberate opinion; a deliberate measure or result

    settled visage and deliberate word

  3. Of a person, weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step; slow in determining.

    The jury took eight hours to come to its deliberate verdict.

  4. Not hasty or sudden; slow.

    His enunciation was so deliberate.

verb

Etymology: Inherited from Middle English deliberat(e), borrowed from Latin dēlīberātus, perfect passive participle of dēlīberō (“to consider, weigh well”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- + *līberō / lībrō (“to weigh”)), from *libera / libra (“a balance”); see librate. Doublet of deliber.

  1. To consider carefully; to weigh well in the mind.

    It is now time for the jury to deliberate the guilt of the defendant.

  2. To consider the reasons for and against anything; to reflect.