ˈrekən verb
( reckoned ; reckoned ; reckoning -k(ə)niŋ ; reckons )
Etymology: Middle English rekenen, rikenen, from Old English -recenian (as in gerecenian to recount, narrate); akin to Middle Dutch rekenen to reckon, Old High German rehhanōn, Old English reccan to give heed — more at reck
transitive verb
1. : to go over one by one : enumerate — used with up or over
would need several pages merely to reckon up the names
reckoning her wrongs over vividly — George Meredith
2.
a. : count
I have not art to reckon my groans — Shakespeare
b. : to arrive at or estimate by calculation : compute
in reckoning the height, allow for a thick mat or excelsior cushion underfoot — Emily Holt
stood gazing about, trying to reckon the size of the cave — Willa Cather
c. : to calculate or determine by reference to a fixed point or basis
the existence of the United States is reckoned from the Declaration of Independence
the society is matrilineal and all blood relations and personal loyalties are reckoned on the blood ties — Abram Kardiner
3.
a. : to regard or think of as : account , consider
the artist is reckoned a freak — Clive Bell
taught men to reckon virtue of more moment than security — W.F.Hambly
b. : to include as part of a total or classification : class , place
has commonly been reckoned an American philosopher — Americana Annual
many anthropologists have accordingly reckoned them as an early Caucasoid offshoot — A.L.Kroeber
c. : attribute , assign — used with to
despite his astonishing anticipations of the painting of the end of the nineteenth century, it seems better to reckon him to the old school — F.J.Mather
d. : to evaluate the character or worth of : sum — used with up
sitting opposite the boys in church, and reckoning them up with her keen eyes — Samuel Butler †1902
4.
a. : to conclude on the basis of a calculation or estimation
reckon that we lost a fifth of the oats through sprouting — Country Life
reckons that his phone rings on an average three times a day — New York Herald Tribune
b. chiefly dialect : to be of the impression or opinion that : suppose , think
been doing this work for six years and we reckon we know something about it — C.D.Lewis
intransitive verb
1. : to settle accounts or claims — usually used with with
after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them — Mt 25:19 (Authorized Version)
2. : to make a calculation : compute
seemed to reckon in her mind — H.G.Wells
reckoned, and put his money on his newfound fellow clerk — Winston Churchill
3. chiefly dialect
a. : expect , intend
b. : claim , pretend
4.
a. : estimate , judge
thoroughly nice people, as the world reckons — Mary Ross
b. chiefly dialect : suppose , think
it's faith, I reckon , that's kept her goin' — Ellen Glasgow
5. : to place reliance : count , depend — used with on or upon
reckon on your promise to aid me — George Meredith
do not reckon upon it with certainty — Rachel Henning
Synonyms: see calculate , consider , rely
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- reckon with
- reckon without