Reason vs. Think — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Reason and Think
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Reason
Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic to seek truth and draw conclusions from new or existing information. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, language, mathematics, and art, and is normally considered to be a distinguishing ability possessed by humans.
Think
To have or formulate in the mind
Think the happiest thought you can think.
Reason
The basis or motive for an action, decision, or conviction
There are good reasons to learn a foreign language. See Usage Notes at because, why.
Think
To reason about or reflect on; ponder
Think how complex language is. Think the matter through.
Reason
A declaration made to explain or justify action, decision, or conviction
What reasons did she give for leaving?.
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Think
To decide by reasoning, reflection, or pondering
Thinking what to do.
Reason
A fact or cause that explains why something exists or has occurred
The reason for the building's collapse is unknown.
Think
To judge or regard; look upon
I think it only fair.
Reason
(Logic) A premise, usually the minor premise, of an argument.
Think
To believe; suppose
Always thought he was right.
Reason
The capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought; intelligence
"Most of us would like to believe that when we say something is right or wrong, we are using our powers of reason alone" (Carl Zimmer).
Think
To expect; hope
They thought she'd arrive early.
Reason
The limit of what is reasonable
"It is a curious thing that, when a man hates or loves beyond reason, he is ready to go beyond reason to gratify his feelings" (Rudyard Kipling).
Think
To intend
She thinks to defeat the incumbent in the election.
Reason
A normal mental state; sanity
He has lost his reason.
Think
To call to mind; remember
I can't think what her name was.
Reason
To determine or conclude by logical thinking
The doctor reasoned that the patient had a virus.
Think
To visualize; imagine
Think what a scene it will be at the reunion.
Reason
To persuade or dissuade (someone) with reasons
"You boast ... of having reasoned him out of his absurd romance" (William Makepeace Thackeray).
Think
To devise or evolve; invent
Thought up a plan to get rich quick.
Reason
To use the faculty of reason; think logically
What would lead you to reason so?.
Think
To bring into a given condition by mental preoccupation
He thought himself into a panic over the impending examination.
Reason
To talk or argue logically and persuasively
Tried to reason with her son to eat a good breakfast.
Think
To concentrate one's thoughts on; keep as a point of focus
Think victory.
Reason
(Obsolete) To engage in conversation or discussion.
Think
To exercise the power of reason, as by conceiving ideas, drawing inferences, and using judgment
My cold made it difficult to think.
Reason
A cause:
Think
To consider or weigh an idea
They are thinking about moving.
Reason
That which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.
The reason this tree fell is that it had rotted.
Think
To bring a thought to mind by using the imagination
No one before had thought of bifocal glasses.
Reason
A motive for an action or a determination.
The reason I robbed the bank was that I needed the money.
If you don't give me a reason to go with you, I won't.
Think
To recall a thought or an image to mind
She thought of her childhood when she saw the movie.
Reason
An excuse: a thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation.
Think
To have a belief, supposition, or opinion
He thinks of himself as a wit. It's later than you think.
Reason
(logic) A premise placed after its conclusion.
Think
To have care or consideration
Think first of the ones you love.
Reason
(uncountable) Rational thinking (or the capacity for it); the cognitive faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.
Mankind should develop reason above all other virtues.
Think
To use the mind in a certain way
He thinks just like you do—always worrying.
Reason
(obsolete) Something reasonable, in accordance with thought; justice.
Think
Requiring much thought to create or assimilate
A think book.
Reason
Ratio; proportion.
Think
The act or an instance of deliberate or extended thinking; a meditation.
Reason
(intransitive) To deduce or come to a conclusion by being rational
Think
(transitive) To ponder, to go over in one's head.
Idly, the detective thought what his next move should be.
Reason
(intransitive) To perform a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to argue.
Think
(intransitive) To communicate to oneself in one's mind, to try to find a solution to a problem.
I thought for three hours about the problem and still couldn’t find the solution.
Reason
To converse; to compare opinions.
Think
(intransitive) To conceive of something or someone (usually followed by of; infrequently, by on).
I tend to think of her as rather ugly.
Reason
(ambitransitive) To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss.
I reasoned the matter with my friend.
Think
(transitive) To be of opinion (that); to consider, judge, regard, or look upon (something) as.
At the time I thought his adamant refusal to give in right.
I hope you won’t think me stupid if I ask you what that means.
I think she is pretty, contrary to most people.
Boxing is thought to be a dangerous sport.
Reason
To support with reasons, as a request.
Think
(transitive) To guess; to reckon.
I think she’ll pass the examination.
Reason
(transitive) To persuade by reasoning or argument.
To reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan
Think
To plan; to be considering; to be of a mind (to do something).
Reason
To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons.
To reason down a passion
Think
To presume; to venture.
Reason
To find by logical process; to explain or justify by reason or argument.
To reason out the causes of the librations of the moon
Think
To seem, to appear.
Reason
A thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; a just ground for a conclusion or an action; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation; the efficient cause of an occurrence or a phenomenon; a motive for an action or a determination; proof, more or less decisive, for an opinion or a conclusion; principle; efficient cause; final cause; ground of argument.
I'll give him reasons for it.
The reason of the motion of the balance in a wheel watch is by the motion of the next wheel.
This reason did the ancient fathers render, why the church was called "catholic."
Virtue and vice are not arbitrary things; but there is a natural and eternal reason for that goodness and virtue, and against vice and wickedness.
Think
An act of thinking; consideration (of something).
I'll have a think about that and let you know.
Reason
The faculty or capacity of the human mind by which it is distinguished from the intelligence of the inferior animals; the higher as distinguished from the lower cognitive faculties, sense, imagination, and memory, and in contrast to the feelings and desires. Reason comprises conception, judgment, reasoning, and the intuitional faculty. Specifically, it is the intuitional faculty, or the faculty of first truths, as distinguished from the understanding, which is called the discursive or ratiocinative faculty.
We have no other faculties of perceiving or knowing anything divine or human, but by our five senses and our reason.
In common and popular discourse, reason denotes that power by which we distinguish truth from falsehood, and right from wrong, and by which we are enabled to combine means for the attainment of particular ends.
Reason is used sometimes to express the whole of those powers which elevate man above the brutes, and constitute his rational nature, more especially, perhaps, his intellectual powers; sometimes to express the power of deduction or argumentation.
By the pure reason I mean the power by which we become possessed of principles.
The sense perceives; the understanding, in its own peculiar operation, conceives; the reason, or rationalized understanding, comprehends.
Think
To seem or appear; - used chiefly in the expressions methinketh or methinks, and methought.
Reason
Due exercise of the reasoning faculty; accordance with, or that which is accordant with and ratified by, the mind rightly exercised; right intellectual judgment; clear and fair deductions from true principles; that which is dictated or supported by the common sense of mankind; right conduct; right; propriety; justice.
I was promised, on a time,To have reason for my rhyme.
But law in a free nation hath been ever public reason; the enacted reason of a parliament, which he denying to enact, denies to govern us by that which ought to be our law; interposing his own private reason, which to us is no law.
The most probable way of bringing France to reason would be by the making an attempt on the Spanish West Indies.
Think
To employ any of the intellectual powers except that of simple perception through the senses; to exercise the higher intellectual faculties.
For that I amI know, because I think.
Reason
Ratio; proportion.
When anything is proved by as good arguments as a thing of that kind is capable of, we ought not, in reason, to doubt of its existence.
Yet it were great reason, that those that have children should have greatest care of future times.
Think
To call anything to mind; to remember; as, I would have sent the books, but I did not think of it.
Well thought upon; I have it here.
Reason
To exercise the rational faculty; to deduce inferences from premises; to perform the process of deduction or of induction; to ratiocinate; to reach conclusions by a systematic comparison of facts.
Think
To reflect upon any subject; to muse; to meditate; to ponder; to consider; to deliberate.
And when he thought thereon, he wept.
He thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Reason
Hence: To carry on a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to formulate and set forth propositions and the inferences from them; to argue.
Stand still, that I may reason with you, before the Lord, of all the righteous acts of the Lord.
Think
To form an opinion by reasoning; to judge; to conclude; to believe; as, I think it will rain to-morrow.
Let them marry to whom they think best.
Reason
To converse; to compare opinions.
Think
To purpose; to intend; to design; to mean.
I thought to promote thee unto great honor.
Thou thought'st to help me.
Reason
To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss; as, I reasoned the matter with my friend.
When they are clearly discovered, well digested, and well reasoned in every part, there is beauty in such a theory.
Think
To presume; to venture.
Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.
Reason
To support with reasons, as a request.
Think
To conceive; to imagine.
Charity . . . thinketh no evil.
Reason
To persuade by reasoning or argument; as, to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan.
Men that will not be reasoned into their senses.
Think
To plan or design; to plot; to compass.
So little womanhoodAnd natural goodness, as to think the deathOf her own son.
Reason
To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons; - with down; as, to reason down a passion.
Think
To believe; to consider; to esteem.
Nor think superfluous other's aid.
Reason
To find by logical processes; to explain or justify by reason or argument; - usually with out; as, to reason out the causes of the librations of the moon.
Think
Act of thinking; a thought.
Reason
A rational motive for a belief or action;
The reason that war was declared
The grounds for their declaration
Think
An instance of deliberate thinking;
I need to give it a good think
Reason
An explanation of the cause of some phenomenon;
The reason a steady state was never reached was that the back pressure built up too slowly
Think
Judge or regard; look upon; judge;
I think he is very smart
I believe her to be very smart
I think that he is her boyfriend
The racist conceives such people to be inferior
Reason
The capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination;
We are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil
Think
Expect, believe, or suppose;
I imagine she earned a lot of money with her new novel
I thought to find her in a bad state
He didn't think to find her in the kitchen
I guess she is angry at me for standing her up
Reason
The state of having good sense and sound judgment;
His rationality may have been impaired
He had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions
Think
Use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments;
I've been thinking all day and getting nowhere
Reason
A justification for something existing or happening;
He had no cause to complain
They had good reason to rejoice
Think
Recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection;
I can't remember saying any such thing
I can't think what her last name was
Can you remember her phone number?
Do you remember that he once loved you?
Call up memories
Reason
A fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion;
There is reason to believe he is lying
Think
Imagine or visualize;
Just think--you could be rich one day!
Think what a scene it must have been!
Reason
Decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion;
We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house
Think
Focus one's attention on a certain state;
Think big
Think thin
Reason
Present reasons and arguments
Think
Have in mind as a purpose;
I mean no harm
I only meant to help you
She didn't think to harm me
We thought to return early that night
Reason
Think logically;
The children must learn to reason
Think
Decide by pondering, reasoning, or reflecting;
Can you think what to do next?
Think
Ponder; reflect on, or reason about;
Think the matter through
Think how hard life in Russia must be these days
Think
Dispose the mind in a certain way;
Do you really think so?
Think
Have or formulate in the mind;
Think good thoughts
Think
Be capable of conscious thought;
Man is the only creature that thinks
Think
Bring into a given condition by mental preoccupation;
She thought herself into a state of panic over the final exam
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