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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 Word Forms
- ·a· adjective
- i·a noun
- ܲi·a noun
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of idea1
Idioms and Phrases
see bright idea ; put ideas in someone's head ; what's the idea .Example Sentences
Those opposing it said the idea was divisive, would create special "classes" of citizens where some have more rights than others, and the new advisory body would slow government decision-making.
Amazon’s stock dropped after the White House’s remarks, but jumped back up after the company said it wouldn’t go through with the idea.
The unsuspecting saints may be gone by the time they realize that the pedestal to which we annexed them was a cliff or tripwire trapping them in the theater of an idea of themselves.
"All Up In My Grill" reimagines the traditional cooking show by extending the idea of grilling beyond its usual confines.
"The very idea that the FA can disregard the Supreme Court shows a foolhardy contempt for the law. Every passing day makes it worse" he said.
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Related Words
When To Use
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.
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