musing
- absorbed in thought; meditative.
- contemplation; reflection.
Origin of musing
muse
- to think or meditate in silence, as on some subject.
- Archaic. to gaze meditatively or wonderingly.
- to meditate on.
- to comment thoughtfully or ruminate upon.
Origin of muse
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words
absorbedthoughtmeditationcontemplationreflectiondeliberationreverieintrospectionponderingpensivenessintrospectivemeditativethoughtfulExamples from the Web for musing
Contemporary Examples
Instead, officials are musing about indirect sources of supply, by and through third countries.
The political media soon chimed in, musing about the cluelessness of the Obama campaign.
Last week, for example, he was musing about a world without air-traffic controllers.
Historical Examples
"I don't see why Robert hasn't been and let me know of this," said Mr. Paine, musing.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
Such, in truth, was too often the habit of the shy and musing girl.
Sylph EtheregeNathaniel Hawthorne
He drove gloomily away, and Lucy Ann stepped into the store, musing.
Tiverton TalesAlice Brown
But he only moved back a little, and went on fitting and musing.
Tiverton TalesAlice Brown
"Yes, it's a good place for you to be in—I'm sure of that," said the other, musing again.
The Incomplete AmoristE. Nesbit
muse1
- (when intr, often foll by on or about) to reflect (about) or ponder (on), usually in silence
- (intr) to gaze thoughtfully
- archaic a state of abstraction
Word Origin
muse2
- a goddess that inspires a creative artist, esp a poet
Word Origin
Muse
- Greek myth any of nine sister goddesses, each of whom was regarded as the protectress of a different art or science. Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the nine are Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania
Word Origin and History for musing
n.
late 14c., "complaint," verbal noun from muse (v.). Meaning "pondering" is from mid-15c. Related: Musingly; musings.
muse
v.
"to reflect, to be absorbed in thought," mid-14c., from Old French muser (12c.) "to ponder, dream, wonder; loiter, waste time," literally "to stand with one's nose in the air" (or, possibly, "to sniff about" like a dog who has lost the scent), from muse "muzzle," from Gallo-Romance *musa "snout," of unknown origin. Probably influenced in sense by muse (n.). Related: Mused; musing.
muse
n.
late 14c., protectors of the arts, from Old French Muse and directly from Latin Musa, from Greek Mousa, "the Muse," also "music, song," from PIE root *men- "to think, remember" (see mind (n.)). Meaning "inspiring goddess of a particular poet" is from late 14c. The traditional names and specialties of the nine Muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, are: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (love poetry, lyric art), Euterpe (music, especially flute), Melpomene (tragedy), Polymnia (hymns), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), Urania (astronomy).