Advertisement
Advertisement
idea
[ ahy-dee-uh, ahy-deeuh ]
noun
- any conception existing in the mind as a result of mental understanding, awareness, or activity.
- a thought, conception, or notion:
That is an excellent idea.
- an impression:
He gave me a general idea of how he plans to run the department.
- an opinion, view, or belief:
His ideas on raising children are certainly strange.
Synonyms: ,
- a plan of action; an intention:
the idea of becoming an engineer.
- a groundless supposition; fantasy.
- Philosophy.
- a concept developed by the mind.
- a conception of what is desirable or ought to be; ideal.
- (initial capital letter) Platonism. Also called form. an archetype or pattern of which the individual objects in any natural class are imperfect copies and from which they derive their being.
- Kantianism. idea of pure reason.
- Music. a theme, phrase, or figure.
- Obsolete.
- a likeness.
- a mental image.
Idea
1/ ɪˈɪə /
noun
- another name for Form
idea
2/ ɪˈɪə /
noun
- any content of the mind, esp the conscious mind
- the thought of something
the very idea appals me
- a mental representation of something
she's got a good idea of the layout of the factory
- the characterization of something in general terms; concept
the idea of a square circle is self-contradictory
- an individual's conception of something
his idea of honesty is not the same as yours and mine
- the belief that something is the case
he has the idea that what he's doing is right
- a scheme, intention, plan, etc
here's my idea for the sales campaign
- a vague notion or indication; inkling
he had no idea of what life would be like in Africa
- significance or purpose
the idea of the game is to discover the murderer
- philosophy
- a private mental object, regarded as the immediate object of thought or perception
- a Platonic Idea or Form
- music a thematic phrase or figure; motif
- obsolete.a mental image
- get ideasto become ambitious, restless, etc
- not one's idea ofnot what one regards as (hard work, a holiday, etc)
- that's an ideathat is worth considering
- the very idea!that is preposterous, unreasonable, etc
Usage
Derived Forms
- ˈ, adjective
Other 51Թ Forms
- ·a· adjective
- i·a noun
- ܲi·a noun
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of idea1
Idioms and Phrases
see bright idea ; put ideas in someone's head ; what's the idea .Example Sentences
"Children still need care before and after school so the idea that childcare costs end when your child starts school is nonsensical," Suzi told BBC News NI.
The fattest part of the barrel is actually closer to the handle, with the idea of redistributing more mass to an area where some hitters make more frequent contact.
“The idea of a tariff to equal the stage has some merit and some support. But I think most Kansans would say, ‘let’s do this in a more gradual way,’” Moran told The Hill.
The idea is that it encourages companies and consumers to buy locally-produced goods.
The early songs that fans know by rote — “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” among others — came fast, in a mad swirl of ideas tied to a steady work ethic.
Advertisement
Related 51Թs
When To Use
What are other ways to say idea?
An idea is any conception existing in the mind as a result of mental understanding, awareness, or activity. How is idea different from thought, conception, and notion? Learn more on .
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse