p. pr. yncean (cf. Methinks), but confounded with OE.
thenken to think, fr. AS. tencean (imp.
tohte); akin to D. denken, dunken, OS.
thenkian, thunkian, G. denken, dunken,
Icel. tekkja to perceive, to know, tykkja to
seem, Goth. tagkjan, taggkjan, to think,
tygkjan to think, to seem, OL. tongere to know. Cf.
Thank, Thought.) 1. To seem or appear; -
- used chiefly in the expressions methinketh or methinks, and
methought.
f These are genuine Anglo-Saxon expressions, equivalent to it
seems to me, it seemed to me. In these expressions me is
in the dative case.
2. To employ any of the intellectual powers except
that of simple perception through the senses; to exercise the higher
intellectual faculties.
For that I am
I know, because I think.
Dryden.
3. Specifically: -- (a) To call
anything 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.
(b) To reflect upon any subject; to muse; to
meditate; to ponder; 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 form an opinion by reasoning; to judge; to
conclude; to believe; as, I think it will rain to-morrow.
Let them marry to whom they think best.
Num. xxxvi. 6.
(d) To purpose; to intend; to design; to
mean.
I thought to promote thee unto great
honor.
Num. xxiv. 11.
Thou thoughtst to help me.
Shak.
(e) To presume; to venture.
Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham
to our father.
Matt. iii. 9.
f To think, in a philosophical use as yet somewhat limited,
designates the higher intellectual acts, the acts preeminently
rational; to judge; to compare; to reason. Thinking is employed by Hamilton
as comprehending all our collective energies. It is defined by Mansel as
the act of knowing or judging by means of concepts,by Lotze as the
reaction of the mind on the material supplied by external influences. See
Thought.
To think better of. See under Better.
-- To think much of, or To think well
of, to hold in esteem; to esteem highly.
Syn. -- To expect; guess; cogitate; reflect; ponder; contemplate;
meditate; muse; imagine; suppose; believe. See Expect,
Guess.
think , v. t. 1. Toconceive; to imagine.
Charity . . . thinketh no evil.
1
Cor. xiii. 4,5.
2. To plan or design; to plot; to compass.
(Obs.)
So little womanhood
And natural goodness, as to think the death
Of her own son.
Beau. to consider; to esteem.
Nor think superfluous others aid.
Milton.
To think much, to esteem a great matter; to
grudge. (Obs.) (He) thought not much to clothe his
enemies. Milton. -- To think scorn.
(a) To disdain. (Obs.) He thought scorn to
lay hands on Mordecai alone. Esther iii. 6. (b)
To feel indignation. (Obs.)
think , n. Act of thinking; athought. (Obs. or Colloq.)
