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idea

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noun

/aɪˈdɪə/

singular	idea
plural	ideas

Other entries for this word

Related dictionary definitions

Metaphor

1
[countable] a thought that you have about how to do something or how to deal with something
What a brilliant idea!
have an idea:
Then I had an idea: we could stay with Mark.
idea for:
an idea for a new TV show
get an idea for something:
Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
get the idea to do something:
How did you get the idea to remove the window from the outside?
have/get the idea of doing something:
Then she got the idea of sending the poems to a publisher.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
1. a.
  [often plural] an opinion or belief
  idea about/on something:
  I don't agree with his ideas about education.
  Her ideas on the subject were not ones I shared.
  have an idea:
  She has some pretty strange ideas about how to bring up children.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
2. b.
  how you imagine something to be
  idea of:
  We didn't have a clear idea of what to expect from the training course.
  Standing in the rain for two hours was not my idea of fun.
  be my idea of heaven/paradise/bliss (=something that is extremely enjoyable):
  Lying by the pool with a good book is my idea of heaven.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
Collocations: idea
Collocations
idea1
▪ bad, bright, brilliant, clear, excellent, good, strange, vague
2
[singular/uncountable] information or knowledge that you have about something
idea of:
I had only a basic idea of how the machine worked.
have no idea (=not know at all):
They had no idea what time they were supposed to arrive.
not have the slightest/faintest/foggiest/remotest idea (=not know at all):
He didn't have the slightest idea of how she really felt.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
3
[countable/uncountable] a purpose or intention
idea behind/of:
What's the idea behind these proposals?
the idea is to do something:
The idea is to make more people rich.
have other ideas (=have a different intention):
My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but I had other ideas.
with the idea of doing something:
He had arrived at the school with the idea of starting a band.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
4
[countable] a principle
The policy is based on the idea that some industries need to be protected from market forces.
idea of:
I'm a great believer in the idea of democracy.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea

phrases

get the idea
informal
to understand something, often something that is not expressed directly
Okay, I get the idea: you two want to be alone.
get the idea (that):
I got the idea that he didn't want to answer the question.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
get ideas
mainly spoken
1. 1
  to start to believe things that are not true
  He started to get ideas about his importance to the organization.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
2. 2
  to plan something that someone will not like or allow
  Don't get any ideas about moving in with me.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
get the wrong idea
informal
to believe something that is not true
I'll explain everything to George. I wouldn't want him to get the wrong idea.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
have an idea
to be fairly certain about something, but not completely certain
I had an idea how to proceed, but I wasn't confident that I could do it.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
have the right idea
informal
if you say that someone has the right idea, you think that what they are doing is right or good
The Spanish have the right idea, they have a siesta after lunch.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
it's a good idea to do something
used for giving someone advice about what they should do
It's a good idea to keep the engine running for a while.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
put ideas into someone's head
informal
to make someone think that they can or should do something, especially something that other people do not approve of
Don't talk to Ralph about joining the army: I don't want you putting ideas into his head.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
that's an idea
spoken
used for saying that you think what someone has suggested is good
'I'm going to have some breakfast, aren't you?' 'That's an idea.'
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
that's the idea
spoken
used for telling someone that they are doing something correctly or well
You use the white ball to hit the red ball into the pocket. That's the idea!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
where did you get that idea?
spoken
used for telling someone that what they think is definitely not true
Where did he ever get the idea that I was in love with him?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea
you have no idea
spoken
used for emphasizing how bad or good something is
You have no idea how pleased I was to see him.
It can be so difficult living alone, you have no idea.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of idea

Metaphor: idea

Metaphor

An idea or theory is like a building or structure. Developing an idea is like building something, and destroying an idea is like destroying a building.

Their ideas were based/built on many years of practical experience.
It was a carefully constructed theory.
Your accusations are without foundation.
It proved to be a groundbreaking new idea.
It gave us a suitable frame of reference.
This helped buttress/underpin his arguments.
She completely demolished his argument.
The theory collapsed/fell apart after he produced new data.
This will help us explode widespread myths about retirement.

An idea is also like a plant. Developing an idea is like helping a plant to grow.

The idea grew in her mind until she could think of nothing else. ♦ I had already planted the idea in their minds. ♦ I had sown the seeds of doubt. ♦ The idea germinated slowly in his mind. ♦ This belief quickly took root. ♦ These beliefs are deep-rooted. ♦ What does this idea stem from? ♦ She has a fertile imagination. ♦ It was a fruitful line of research. ♦ The work shows evidence of cross-fertilization from many disciplines.

➡ achieve, argument, mind

This is the British English definition of idea. View American English definition of idea.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

View the pronunciation for idea.

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Did you know?

idea

What are red words?

Thesaurus

Related dictionary definitions

phrases

get the idea

get ideas

get the wrong idea

have an idea

have the right idea

it's a good idea to do something

put ideas into someone's head

that's an idea

that's the idea

where did you get that idea?

you have no idea

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Word of the Day

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