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Webster 1913 Edition

Conceive

Con-ceive′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Conceived
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Conceiving
.]
[OF.
conzoivre
,
concever
,
conceveir
, F.
concevoir
, fr. L.
oncipere
to take, to conceive;
con-
+
capere
to seize or take. See
Capable
, and cf.
Conception
.]
1.
To receive into the womb and begin to breed; to begin the formation of the embryo of.
She hath also
conceived
a son in her old age.
Luke i. 36.
2.
To form in the mind; to plan; to devise; to generate; to originate;
as, to
conceive
a purpose, plan, hope
.
It was among the ruins of the Capitol that I first
conceived
the idea of a work which has amused and exercised near twenty years of my life.
Gibbon.
Conceiving
and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
Is. lix. 13.
3.
To apprehend by reason or imagination; to take into the mind; to know; to imagine; to comprehend; to understand.
“I conceive you.”
Hawthorne.
O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart
Cannot
conceive
nor name thee!
Shakespeare
Syn. – To apprehend; imagine; suppose; understand; comprehend; believe; think.

Con-ceive′

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To have an embryo or fetus formed in the womb; to breed; to become pregnant.
A virgin shall
conceive
, and bear a son.
Isa. vii. 14.
2.
To have a conception, idea, or opinion; think; – with of.
Conceive
of things clearly and distinctly in their own natures.
I. Watts.

Webster 1828 Edition

Conceive

CONCEIVE

,
Verb.
T.
[L., to take.]
1.
To receive into the womb, and breed; to begin the formation of the embryo or fetus of animal.
Then shall she be free and conceive seed. Numbers 5. Hebrew 11.
Elisabeth hath conceived a son in her old age. Luke 1.
In sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm 51.
2.
To form in the mind; to imagine; to devise.
They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity. Job 15.
Nebuchadnezzar hath conceived a purpose against you. Jeremiah 49.
3.
To form an idea in the mind; to understand; to comprehend.
We cannot conceive the manner in which spirit operates upon matter.
4.
To think; to be of opinion; to have an idea; to imagine.
You can hardly conceive this man to have been bred in the same climate.

CONCEIVE

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To have a fetus formed in the womb; to breed; to become pregnant.
Thou shalt conceive and bear a son. Judges 13.
2.
To think; to have a conception or idea.
Conceive of things clearly and distinctly in their own natures. The grieved commons hardly conceive of me.
3.
To understand; to comprehend; to have a complete idea of; as, I cannot conceive by what means this event has been produced.

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