Wiktionary
chew the cud
vb. (context idiomatic of a person English) to meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate
Usage examples of "chew the cud".
Because half a dozen grasshoppers under a fern make the field ring with their importunate chink, whilst thousands of great cattle, reposed beneath the shadow of the British oak, chew the cud and are silent, pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field.
It gave a mellow grunt, gurgled again and started to chew the cud.
Which sentiment being a pretty hard morsel, and bearing something of the air of a paradox, we shall leave the reader to chew the cud upon it to the end of the chapter.
It does no good to rail at fate or chew the cud of destiny, at least no good to me.