Rumination

n.	1.	The act or process of ruminating, or chewing the cud; the habit of chewing the cud. Rumination is given to animals to enable them at once to lay up a great store of food, and afterward to chew it. - Arbuthnot.
	2.	The state of being disposed to ruminate or ponder; deliberate meditation or reflection. Retiring full of rumination sad. - Thomson.
	3.	(Physiol.) The regurgitation of food from the stomach after it has been swallowed, - occasionally observed as a morbid phenomenon in man.

Noun	1.	rumination - a calm lengthy intent consideration Synonyms: musing, reflection, thoughtfulness, contemplation, reflexion
	2.	rumination - (of ruminants) chewing (the cud); "ruminants have remarkable powers of rumination"
	3.	rumination - regurgitation of small amounts of food; seen in some infants after feeding

chew over, cogitation, consideration, contemplate, contemplation, excogitate, introspection, meditate, meditation, mull, mull over, muse, musing, omphaloskepsis, ponder, reflect, reflection, reflexion, retrospect, ruminate, self-contemplation, self-examination, speculate, speculation, study, think over, thoughtfulness