English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Idioms: Thoughts, Ideas and Imagination-1
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.
- blue-sky thinking
- The expression blue-sky thinking refers to a sort of brainstorming intended to generate original,
creative ideas that are not necessarily realistic or practical.
"What we really need now is specialist knowledge rather than blue-sky thinking.”
"The school authorities have been doing some blue-sky thinking on how to improve standards. "
- The expression blue-sky thinking refers to a sort of brainstorming intended to generate original,
creative ideas that are not necessarily realistic or practical.
- by no / by any stretch of the imagination
- The expression 'by no/any stretch of the imagination'
means that however hard you may try to believe or imagine something, you still think that it is absolutely impossible.
"By no stretch of the imagination could he be called handsome."
- The expression 'by no/any stretch of the imagination'
means that however hard you may try to believe or imagine something, you still think that it is absolutely impossible.
- 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.
- collect one's thoughts
- When you collect your thoughts, you take time to think calmly and clearly
in order to prepare yourself mentally for something, for example a discussion, a speech, etc.
"Anne stopped to collect her thoughts before calling back the unsatisfied customer."
- When you collect your thoughts, you take time to think calmly and clearly
in order to prepare yourself mentally for something, for example a discussion, a speech, etc.
- (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.
- (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.
- go down the rabbit hole
- If you go down the rabbit hole, you start searching for something specific
and then find yourself with information that keeps leading you to more and more areas to explore.
"It’s easy to go down the rabbit hole when you start surfing on the Internet."
- If you go down the rabbit hole, you start searching for something specific
and then find yourself with information that keeps leading you to more and more areas to explore.
- (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.
- in retrospect
- The term ‘in retrospect’ is used when thinking about a past situation or event with the knowledge you have today, particularly
if your present opinion is different from the one you had in the past.
"In retrospect, we were not aware of the effects on the environment at that time."
- The term ‘in retrospect’ is used when thinking about a past situation or event with the knowledge you have today, particularly
if your present opinion is different from the one you had in the past.
- (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 knew 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.
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