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1. Elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses
   "Could you formulate the ideas in your thesis";
   - explicate, develop
    
2. Come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
   "formulate a way to measure the speed of light";
   - invent, contrive, devise, excogitate, forge
    
3. Put into words or an expression
   "He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees";
   - give voice, word, phrase, articulate
    
4. (chemistry) prepare according to a formula

Derived forms: formulating, formulates, formulated

Type of: conjecture, create by mental act, create from raw material, create from raw stuff, create mentally, evince [formal], express, hypothecate, hypothesise [Brit], hypothesize, show, speculate, suppose, theorise [Brit], theorize