contemplation

Universal Words noun [U] (formal) 1 the act of thinking deeply about sth: He sat there deep in contemplation. * a few moments of quiet contemplation * a life of prayer and contemplation 2 the act of looking at sth in a calm and careful way: She turned from her contemplation of the photograph. IDIOMS in contemplation (formal) being considered: By 1613 even more desperate measures were in contemplation.