Words / B2

MED-it-ayt/ˈmedɪteɪt/

To meditate is to focus the mind quietly, or to think carefully: meditate on; meditate in silence. Think is everyday; reflect is cooler. The quiet room is not a detention. Noun: meditation (earlier in this set). Mix-up: mediate is to settle a dispute (earlier in this set); immediate means at once. Do not write meditate for “chair a peace talk”.

Meaning

To focus the mind quietly; also to think carefully about something.

Examples

• “Pupils may meditate in the quiet room; it is not a detention.”
• “Meditate on the ethical issue before you write, which is the think-carefully sense.”

Good to know

meditate on / in; meditation. Everyday: think. Trap: mediate / immediate. RS, PSHE, and essays. Quiet focus or deep thought, not brokering a deal.

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