deliberate
adjectiveverbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət//
- Canada//dɪˈlɪb.ɚ.ət//
- Canada//dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət//
- //dəˈlɪb.ɚ.ət//
- //dəˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət//
Done on purpose; intentional.
adjective
- 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.
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.
verb
- 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.
Forms
- comparative
- more deliberate
- superlative
- most deliberate
- past tense
- deliberated
- past participle
- deliberated
- present participle
- deliberating
- third person singular
- deliberates
deliberate · Done on purpose; intentional.
deliberately · Intentionally, or after deliberation; not accidentally.delicacy · The quality of being delicate.delicate · Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.