The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ruminate \Ru"mi*nate\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ruminated; p. pr. & vb. n. Ruminating.] [L. ruminatus, p. p. of ruminari, ruminare, fr. rumen, -inis, throat, akin to ructare to belch, erugere to belch out, Gr. ?, AS. roccettan.]
To chew the cud; to chew again what has been slightly chewed and swallowed. ``Cattle free to ruminate.''
--Wordsworth.-
Fig.: To think again and again; to muse; to meditate; to ponder; to reflect.
--Cowper.Apart from the hope of the gospel, who is there that ruminates on the felicity of heaven?
--I. Taylor.
Wiktionary
vb. (present participle of ruminate English)
Usage examples of "ruminating".
Perchance, then, even as meat is in ruminating brought up out of the belly, so by calling to mind are these educed from the memory.
Thus ruminating, patient as a cow, I ask myself: What were thy ten overcomings?
She proceeded to her chamber, ruminating upon this signal, and the cautious manner in which Peter had given it.
She walked out into the forest, ruminating upon Peter's words, and endeavouring to guess to what they alluded.