| Front | cerebrate \SER-uh-brayt\ |
|---|---|
| Back | verb tr., intr. To use the mind: to think, reason. [Back-formation from cerebration (act of thinking), from cerebrum (brain). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ker- (horn or head) that is also the source of words such as unicorn, horn, hornet, rhinoceros, reindeer, migraine, carrot, carat, and Hindi sirdar (leader, from Persian sar: head).] "Since Galatea, Richard Powers has been cerebrating more than he's been feeling, but with his latest book, as if in wild overcompensation, he has led with his heart and entirely lost his head." - Thomas Mallon; Going to Extremes; The Atlantic (Boston); Jan/Feb 2003. |
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