Ever need a fact or quotation on musing? Designed for speechwriters, journalists, writers, researchers, students, professors, teachers, historians, academics, scrapbookers, trivia buffs and word lovers, this is the largest book ever created for this single word. It represents a compilation from a variety of sources with a linguistic emphasis on anything relating to the term “musing,” including non-conventional usage and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities. The entries cover all parts of speech (noun, verb, adverb or adjective usage) as well as use in modern slang, pop culture, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This “data dump” results in many unexpected examples for musing, since the editorial decision to include or exclude terms is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under “fair use” conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. Proceeds from this book are used to expand the content and coverage of Webster’s Online Dictionary (www.websters-online-dictionary.org).

Familiar Quotations

Musing

Even at our birth, death does but stand aside a little. And every day he looks towards us and muses somewhat to himself whether that day or the next he will draw nigh.–Robert Bolt

With the muses of Helicon let us begin our singing.–Hesiod

On a dark theme I trace verses full of light, touching all the muses' charm.–Lucretius

When toilsome contests have been decided, good cheer is the best physician, and songs, the sage daughters of the Muses, soothe with their touch.–Pindar

Let us sacrifice to the Muses.–Solon

And must I wholly banish hence these red and golden juices, and pay my vows to Abstinence, that pallidest of Muses?–William Watson

I have always believed that opera is a planet where the muses work together, join hands and celebrate all the arts.–Franco Zeffirelli

Musing – "Consideration"

The consideration that human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected will always continue to prompt me to promote the progress of the former by inculcating the practice of the latter.–George Washington

Musing – "Contemplation"

If you are of the opinion that the contemplation of suicide is sufficient evidence of a poetic nature, do not forget that actions speak louder than words.–Fran Lebowitz

Musing – "Meditation"

Meditation is the soul's perspective glass.–Owen Felltham

• Prefacevii
• Familiar Quotations1
• Musing1
• Musing – "Consideration"1
• Musing – "Contemplation"1
• Musing – "Meditation"1
• Musing – "Meditative"1
• Musing – "Reveries"2
• Musing – "Thought"2
• Use in Literature3
• Musing3
• Musing – "Action"17
• Musing – "Air"17
• Musing – "Arm"18
• Musing – "Arts"18
• Musing – "Broke"18
• Musing – "Child"19
• Musing – "Circus"20
• Musing – "Coming"20
• Musing – "Contemplation"22
• Musing – "Contemplative"24
• Musing – "Corner"24
• Musing – "Darkest"24
• Musing – "Day"25
• Musing – "Deep"26
• Musing – "Drew"27
• Musing – "Evening"27
• Musing – "Events"28
• Musing – "Eyes"28
• Musing – "Feelings"30
• Musing – "Felt"30
• Musing – "Few"31
• Musing – "Fit"32
• Musing – "Found"32
• Musing – "Friendly"33
• Musing – "Girl"33
• Musing – "God"34
• Musing – "Graces"34
• Musing – "Greater"35
• Musing – "Hand"36
• Musing – "Having"37
• Musing – "Head"37
• Musing – "Hear"38
• Musing – "Heart"39
• Musing – "Herself"40
• Musing – "Home"40
• Musing – "Hour"41
• Musing – "House"42
• Musing – "Ladies"42
• Musing – "Leaned"43
• Musing – "Letter"43
• Musing – "Life"44
• Musing – "Little"45
• Musing – "Lonely"47
• Musing – "Look"48
• Musing – "Lord"50
• Musing – "Lost"50
• Musing – "Love"51
• Musing – "Men"51
• Musing – "Melancholy"53
• Musing – "Minute"53
• Musing – "Moment"54
• Musing – "Morning"56
• Musing – "Mother"56
• Musing – "Myself"57
• Musing – "Nature"57
• Musing – "Night"58
• Musing – "Nine"59
• Musing – "Nothing"59
• Musing – "Old"60
• Musing – "Once"61
• Musing – "Opening"61
• Musing – "Reader"62
• Musing – "Reflection"62
• Musing – "Resting"62
• Musing – "Room"63
• Musing – "Sadder"64
• Musing – "Silence"64
• Musing – "Sing"65
• Musing – "Sat"66
• Musing – "Smiling"70
• Musing – "Sound"70
• Musing – "Spoken"71
• Musing – "Stand"71
• Musing – "Stepped"72
• Musing – "Subject"72
• Musing – "Sweet"73
• Musing – "Talk"73
• Musing – "Things"74
• Musing – "Think"74
• Musing – "Thought"75
• Musing – "Thus"76
• Musing – "Times"79
• Musing – "Walks"79
• Musing – "Words"80
• Musing – "Work"81
• Musing – "Young"82
• Nonfiction Usage83
• Journalism Usage83
• Bibliographic Usage83
• Encyclopedic Usage127
• Lexicographic Usage132
• Index143