Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON-CEIVE', v.t. [Fr. concevoir; It. concepire; Sp. concebir; Port. conceber; L. concipio; con and capio, to take.]

1. To receive into the womb, and breed; to begin the formation of the embryo or fetus of an animal. Then shall she be free and conceive seed. Numb. v. Heb. xi. Elisabeth hath conceived a son in her old age. Luke i. In sin did my mother conceive me. Ps. li.
2. To form in the mind; to imagine; to devise. They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity. Job xv. Nebuchadnezzar hath conceived a purpose against you. Jer. xlix.
3. To form an idea in the mind; to understand; to comprehend; as, we cannot conceive the manner in which spirit operates upon matter.
4. To think; to be of opinion; to have an idea; to imagine. You can hardly conceive this man to have been bred in the same climate. – Swift.