English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
THOUGHTS - IDEAS - IMAGINATION, page 1
Idioms
from:
'against your better judgement' to: 'mind over matter'
- against one's better judgement
- If you do something even though you think it
is not a sensible thing to do, you do it against your better judgement.
"Bob persuaded her to go by car, against her better judgement, and she regretted it as soon as she saw the heavy traffic."
- If you do something even though you think it
is not a sensible thing to do, you do it against your better judgement.
- at the back of your mind
- Something at the back of your mind is something
that you are not thinking about right now but is in your thoughts.
"At the back of my mind is the fear of failing the exam."
- Something at the back of your mind is something
that you are not thinking about right now but is in your thoughts.
- change your mind
- If you change your mind you change your original opinion,
plan or decision.
"At first I intended to rent a car, but then I changed my mind and decided to use public transport."
- If you change your mind you change your original opinion,
plan or decision.
- (have) a mind of your own
- If you have a mind of your own, you are capable of
forming an opinion and making decisions without being influenced by others.
"The boy doesn't need any advice; he's got a mind of his own."
- If you have a mind of your own, you are capable of
forming an opinion and making decisions without being influenced by others.
- (have) something in mind
- If you have someone or something in mind,
you have a plan or intention concerning them.
"The boss has Julie in mind for the job. He thinks she's got the right qualifications."
- If you have someone or something in mind,
you have a plan or intention concerning them.
- (have) something on your mind
- If you have someone or something on your mind,
you think a lot about it, to the point of being troubled or preoccupied.
"You look worried. Have you got something on your mind?"
- If you have someone or something on your mind,
you think a lot about it, to the point of being troubled or preoccupied.
- by no stretch of the imagination
- The expression
'by no stretch of the imagination'
means 'however hard you may try to believe
or imagine it'.
"By no stretch of the imagination could he be called handsome."
- The expression
'by no stretch of the imagination'
means 'however hard you may try to believe
or imagine it'.
- (have a) bee in one's bonnet
- Someone who has abee in their bonnet has
an idea which constantly occupies their thoughts.
"Eva's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York."
- Someone who has abee in their bonnet has
an idea which constantly occupies their thoughts.
- (live/be in) cloud cuckoo land
- 'Cloud cuckoo land' refers to an imaginary
unrealistic place where everything is perfect and impossible things can happen.
"Anyone who thinks these measures are going to solve the crisis is living in cloud cuckoocland!"
- 'Cloud cuckoo land' refers to an imaginary
unrealistic place where everything is perfect and impossible things can happen.
- (a) figment of one's imagination
- A figment of one's imagination is an appearance,
event or incident that is not considered to be real but only imaginary.
"Other people saw the car, so it's not a figment of my imagination!"
- A figment of one's imagination is an appearance,
event or incident that is not considered to be real but only imaginary.
- (a) flight of fancy
- To refer to an idea or plan as a flight of fancy
means that it is very imaginative but not at all practical or sensible.
"Jimmy often has good ideas but his latest proposal is just a flight of fancy!"
- To refer to an idea or plan as a flight of fancy
means that it is very imaginative but not at all practical or sensible.
- great minds think alike
- This expression means that very intelligent people often have the same idea at the same time,
but it is generally used jokingly by two people who think of the same thing at the same time.
"I think we should take the kids to the playground.”
“That's just what I was thinking too. Great minds think alike!"
- This expression means that very intelligent people often have the same idea at the same time,
but it is generally used jokingly by two people who think of the same thing at the same time.
- (be) all in your head
- If something is all in your head,
it is not real. It is in your imagination.
"Don't be silly. Nobody is trying to harm you. It's all in your head!"
- If something is all in your head,
it is not real. It is in your imagination.
- (a) harebrained idea
- A harebrained idea is an idea or suggestion
that is considered to be silly, foolish or totally impractical.
"We'll never make any progress if you have nothing but harebrained ideas to offer!"
- A harebrained idea is an idea or suggestion
that is considered to be silly, foolish or totally impractical.
- toy with the idea
- If you consider something without giving it
serious thought, you toy with the idea.
"Sally has often toyed with the idea of moving abroad, but she's still here!"
- If you consider something without giving it
serious thought, you toy with the idea.
- (have a) light bulb moment
- A light bulb moment is when you
have a sudden moment of inspiration, comprehension or realisation.
"Harry had a light-bulb moment when he finally realised what was blocking the mechanism."
- A light bulb moment is when you
have a sudden moment of inspiration, comprehension or realisation.
- lose your train of thought
- If you forget what you were saying, for example after a
disturbance or interruption, you lose your train of thought.
"Now where was I? I'm afraid I've lost my train of thought."
- If you forget what you were saying, for example after a
disturbance or interruption, you lose your train of thought.
- bear/keep in mind
- If you bear or keep something in mind, you remember it.
"Bear in mind that no food will be served on board."
- If you bear or keep something in mind, you remember it.
- bring to mind
- If a place, person or object brings (something)
to mind, it causes you to think of someone or something, or it evokes a memory.
"This place brings to mind the small town where I grew up."
- If a place, person or object brings (something)
to mind, it causes you to think of someone or something, or it evokes a memory.
- broadens the mind
- Something that broadens the mind helps you understand
more about different subjects, people, ideas and places.
"It is often said that travel broadens the mind."
- Something that broadens the mind helps you understand
more about different subjects, people, ideas and places.
- change your mind
- If you change your mind you change your decision.
"I was going to go sailing but I changed my mind when I saw the weather."
- If you change your mind you change your decision.
- cross your mind
- If an idea or thought crosses your mind, you
suddenly think of it.
"It has just crossed my mind that the shops are closed today."
- If an idea or thought crosses your mind, you
suddenly think of it.
- mind over matter
- The mental power to influence one's body
and overcome physical difficulties is said
to be a question of
mind over matter.
"He know he could not be cured, but he managed to live until the baby was born - a case of mind over matter."
- The mental power to influence one's body
and overcome physical difficulties is said
to be a question of
mind over matter.
Alphabetical lists: