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conceive


con·ceive

verb \kən-ˈsēv\
con·ceivedcon·ceiv·ing

Definition of CONCEIVE

transitive verb
1
a : to become pregnant with (young) <conceive a child> b : to cause to begin : originate <a project conceived by the company's founder>
2
a : to take into one's mind <conceive a prejudice> b : to form a conception of : imagine <a badly conceived design>
3
: to apprehend by reason or imagination : understand <unable to conceive his reasons>
4
: to have as an opinion <I cannot conceive that he acted alone>
intransitive verb
1
: to become pregnant
2
: to have a conception —usually used with of <conceives of death as emptiness>
con·ceiv·er noun

Examples of CONCEIVE

  1. When the writer conceived this role, he had a specific actor in mind to play the part.
  2. As conceived by the committee, the bill did not raise taxes.
  3. a woman who has been unable to conceive
  4. a woman who has been unable to conceive a child

Origin of CONCEIVE

Middle English, from Anglo-French conceivre, from Latin concipere to take in, conceive, from com- + capere to take — more at heave
First Known Use: 14th century

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