muse

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 a person or spirit that gives a writer, painter, musician, etc. ideas and the desire to create things: He felt that his muse had deserted him (= that he could no longer write, paint, etc.). 2 (Muse) (in ancient Greek and Roman stories) one of the nine GODDESSES who encouraged poetry, music and other branches of art and literature verb (written) 1 [V] ~ (about / on / over / upon sth) to think carefully about sth for a time, ignoring what is happening around you: I sat quietly, musing on the events of the day. 2 to say sth to yourself in a way that shows you are thinking carefully about it: [Vspeech] 'I wonder why?' she mused. [also Vthat]