ponder
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/icons/point.icon PONDER, MEDITATE, MUSE, RUMINATE mean to consider or examine attentively or deliberately.
PONDER implies a careful weighing of a problem or, often, prolonged inconclusive thinking about a matter.
e.g. pondered the course of action
MEDITATE implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on something so as to understand it deeply.
e.g. meditated on the meaning of life
MUSE suggests a more or less focused daydreaming as in remembrance.
e.g. mused upon childhood joys
RUMINATE implies going over the same matter in one's thoughts again and again but suggests little of either purposive thinking or rapt absorption.
e.g. ruminated on past disappointments
verb with object
think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion:
｟かたく｠ 〈問題など〉について熟考する; 〖～ wh節･句/doing〗 …かと［してみることについて］考えをめぐらせる; ｟書｠ 〖直接話法〗…と(言って)考える
e.g. I pondered the question of what clothes to wear for the occasion
e.g. no object : she sat pondering over her problem.
ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense ‘appraise, judge the worth of’): from Old French ponderer ‘consider’, from Latin ponderare ‘weigh, reflect on’, from pondus, ponder- ‘weight’.