The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Deliberation \De*lib`er*a"tion\, n. [L. deliberatio: cf. F.
   d['e]lib['e]ration.]
   1. The act of deliberating, or of weighing and examining the
      reasons for and against a choice or measure; careful
      consideration; mature reflection.
      [1913 Webster]

            Choosing the fairest way with a calm deliberation.
                                                  --W. Montagu.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Careful discussion and examination of the reasons for and
      against a measure; as, the deliberations of a legislative
      body or council.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

deliberation
    n 1: (usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question;
         "the deliberations of the jury"
    2: careful consideration; "a little deliberation would have
       deterred them" [syn: deliberation, weighing,
       advisement]
    3: planning something carefully and intentionally; "it was the
       deliberation of his act that was insulting" [syn:
       calculation, deliberation]
    4: a rate demonstrating an absence of haste or hurry [syn:
       slowness, deliberation, deliberateness,
       unhurriedness]
    5: the trait of thoughtfulness in action or decision; "he was a
       man of judicial deliberation" [syn: deliberation,
       deliberateness]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

135 Moby Thesaurus words for "deliberation":
   advisement, aforethought, airing, analysis, application, brainwork,
   brooding, buzz session, calculatedness, calculation, canniness,
   canvassing, care, careful consideration, carefulness, caution,
   cautiousness, cerebration, circumspection, cloture, cogitation,
   colloquium, committee consideration, concentration, confabulation,
   conference, consideration, contemplation, counsel, creeping,
   debate, debating, deliberate stages, deliberateness, dialectic,
   dialogue, discretion, discussion, division, dolce far niente,
   drawl, examination, exchange of views, express intention,
   expressness, filibuster, filibustering, filing, first reading,
   foot-dragging, forethought, forum, gingerliness, guardedness,
   hastelessness, hedge, hedging, heed, heedfulness, hesitation,
   idleness, inactivity, indolence, inertia, inertness,
   intentionality, introduction, investigation, joint discussion,
   judiciousness, languor, laziness, leisureliness, lentitude, lentor,
   logical analysis, logical discussion, logrolling, lucubration,
   meditation, mindfulness, musing, open discussion, open forum,
   panel discussion, pawkiness, pokiness, pondering, preconsideration,
   predeliberation, predetermination, premeditation, preresolution,
   prior consultation, prudence, prudentialness, rap, rap session,
   reflection, regardfulness, relaxedness, reluctance, review,
   revolving, roll call, rumination, safeness, safety first,
   second reading, seminar, slackness, sloth, slowness,
   slowness to act, sluggardy, sluggishness, solicitude, speculation,
   steamroller methods, study, symposium, tabling, talkathon,
   tentativeness, third reading, thoroughness, town meeting,
   treatment, uncommunicativeness, unhastiness, unhurriedness,
   unprecipitateness, ventilation, vote, weighing



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

DELIBERATION. legislation. The council which is held touching some business,
in an assembly having the power to act in relation to it.
     2. In deliberative assemblies, it is presumed that each member will
listen to the opinions and arguments of the others before he arrives at a
conclusion.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

DELIBERATION, contracts, crimes. The act of the understanding, by which the
party examines whether a thing proposed ought to be done or not to be done,
or whether it ought to be done in one manner or another. The deliberation
relates to the end proposed, to the means of accomplishing that end, or to
both.
     2. It is a presumption of law that all acts committed, are done with
due deliberation, that the party intended to do what he has done. But he
may, show the contrary; in contracts, for example, he may show he has been
taken by surprise; (q.v.) and when a criminal act is charged, he may prove
that it Was an accident, and not with deliberation, that in fact there was
no intention or will. See Intention; Will.



The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

DELIBERATION, n.  The act of examining one's bread to determine which
side it is buttered on.