Conceives

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kənˈsiːvz/

Definitions

1. Forms a new idea or plan in the mind ; becomes pregnant with a child
2. Creates or imagines a concept or strategy ; begins pregnancy in a biological sense
3. Develops an understanding or notion ; initiates the process of gestation

Etymology: "Conceives" is the third-person singular form of "conceive," so its history is that of the verb itself. The verb came into Middle English from Old French "concevoir" and "conceveir," which in turn descend from Latin "concipere," meaning "to take in" or "to devise." The Latin verb was built from "com-" (together) and "capere" (to take), so the root image is of taking several things into one container. That literal sense of holding something inside survives in the verb's two modern meanings. The physical sense, of a womb receiving a child, came first in English usage, and the mental sense of forming an idea or plan grew out of the same notion of taking an thought into the mind and holding it there. The same Latin root also gave English "capture," "receive," and "conception," which is a useful reminder of how closely the act of gathering a plan and the act of gathering an embryo were linked in the language.

Synonyms: envisions, imagines, dreams, formulates, devises

Antonyms: disregards, neglects, dismisses, overlooks, rejects