different between contemplate vs peruse

English

Etymology

Attested since the 1590s; borrowed from Latin contempl?tus, from contemplari (“observe, survey”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?n.t?m?ple?t/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?n.t?m?ple?t/
• Hyphenation: con?tem?plate

Verb

contemplate (third-person singular simple present contemplates, present participle contemplating, simple past and past participle contemplated)

1. To look at on all sides or in all its aspects; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study, ponder, or consider.
2. To consider as a possibility.
   • 1793 February 18, Alexander Hamilton, Loans, speech given to the United States House of Representatives:

     There remain some particulars to complete the information contemplated by those resolutions.

   • 1826, James Kent, Commentaries on American Law

     If a treaty contains any stipulations which contemplate a state of future war.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:ponder
• (look at): examine

Derived terms

• contemplative

Related terms

• contemplation

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “contemplate”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Italian

Verb

contemplate

1. second-person plural present indicative of contemplare
2. second-person plural imperative of contemplare
3. feminine plural of contemplato

Anagrams

• completante

Latin

Participle

contempl?te

1. vocative masculine singular of contempl?tus

English

Etymology

From per- +? use, from either Medieval Latin (peruti, perusitare (“wear out”)) or Anglo-Norman (peruser (“use up”)), originally leading to two concurrent meanings, but only those derived from "to examine" survive today.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /p???u?z/
• Rhymes: -u?z

Verb

peruse (third-person singular simple present peruses, present participle perusing, simple past and past participle perused)

1. (transitive) To examine or consider with care.
2. (transitive) To read completely.
3. (transitive, informal) To look over casually; to skim.
4. (intransitive, regional) To go from place to place; to wander.

Usage notes

• The sense of "skimming" is proscribed by some authorities on usage, including the Oxford American Dictionary. The shift, however, is not dissimilar to that found in scan, and thus, interestingly, peruse and scan are a synonym pair in which each is a contranym meaning either "to read carefully" or "to read hastily". To avoid ambiguity—and reader annoyance—careful writers may prefer skim when skimming is meant or scrutinize when care is meant. The Oxford English Dictionary further notes that the word peruse was used as a general synonym for read as far back as the 16th century.

Derived terms

• perusable
• perusal
• peruser

Translations

Noun

peruse (plural peruses)

1. An examination or perusal; an instance of perusing.
   • 2008, Dave Robson, "Hi-tea, low cost!", Evening Gazette online, September 12,

     A peruse of the website looked promising […]

Translations

Anagrams

• persue, purees, purées, rupees

Latin

Participle

peruse

1. vocative masculine singular of perusus