INDEX:
to think about something
1. to think about something before making a decision
2. to think about something a lot
3. to think about something you might do in the future
4. to think about the advantages and disadvantages of something
5. when someone is thinking about something
6. when you do or say something without thinking
to have a thought
7. when a thought comes into your mind
to have a particular opinion
8. to have a particular opinion
9. the way you generally think about something
10. what you say when giving your opinion
to think that something is true, but not be sure
11. to think that something is true, but not be sure
12. what you say when you think something is true, but you are not sure
RELATED WORDS
to try not to think about something : ↑ FORGET
pay attention to what you are doing : ↑ ATTENTION
see also
↑ CONFUSED
◆◆◆
1. to think about something before making a decision
▷ think /θɪŋk/ [intransitive verb]
▪ Give me time to think.
▪ It’s a difficult question. Think carefully before you answer.
think about
▪ I’ve been thinking about how to tell Marcia the bad news.
▪ ‘What are you going to do with your day off?’ ‘I don’t know - I haven’t really thought about it yet.’
think hard
think carefully
▪ You have to think hard and ask yourself, ‘Do I want to give up everything to do this?’
stop to think
▪ You never even stopped to think how this might be affecting your family!
▷ consider /kənˈsɪdəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to think about something carefully before deciding what to do :
▪ Before buying a car you should consider the cost of insuring it.
consider doing something
▪ Have you considered working as a journalist?
▷ think over /ˌθɪŋk ˈəʊvəʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to think carefully about an idea, suggestion, or offer before deciding what to do :
think something over
▪ After thinking it over, I’ve decided to accept the offer.
think over something
▪ Think over what I told you, and give me your answer when you’re ready.
▷ think through /ˌθɪŋk ˈθruː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to think carefully and thoroughly about all the possible results and effects of something you are doing or plan to do :
think through something
▪ The government is being criticized for not thinking through the consequences of further tax cuts.
▪ It seems to me the whole plan was very badly thought through.
think something through
▪ Before you commit yourself to this contract you should take a couple of hours to think it through.
▷ give something some thought also have a think British /ˌgɪv something s ə m ˈθɔːt, ˌhæv ə ˈθɪŋk/ [verb phrase]
to spend some time thinking carefully about a question or problem in order to decide what to do :
▪ My agent really wanted me to do the movie, but after giving it some thought I decided not to.
▪ I’m still not sure what’s the best route to take. I’ll have a think about it tonight.
▷ sleep on it /ˈsliːp ɒn ɪt/ [verb phrase]
to delay making a decision about a difficult problem until the next day in order to have more time to think about it :
▪ There’s no obligation to do anything at all. Sleep on it, and tell me what you think in the morning.
▷ mull over /ˌmʌl ˈəʊvəʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb not in passive]
to spend a long time thinking carefully about a plan or idea :
mull over something
▪ If you are mulling over the idea of starting a new business, remember that there are many things that can affect your decision.
mull something over
▪ After almost two decades of mulling it over in his mind, Sayles finally made his Texas movie.
▷ be under consideration /biː ˌʌndəʳ kənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃ ə n/ [verb phrase]
if a plan, request, suggestion etc is under consideration, it is being considered and discussed so that an official decision can be made :
▪ A new pension plan for employees is now under consideration.
▪ One of the amendments under consideration proposes that all European countries reduce pollution levels by 30%.
2. to think about something a lot
▷ give something a lot of thought /ˌgɪv something ə ˌlɒt əv ˈθɔːtǁ-ˌlɑːt-/ [verb phrase]
▪ I’ve given this a lot of thought, because we all know that health care issues are very important today.
give a lot of thought to something
▪ Tony has given a lot of thought to what made his father a legendary coach.
▪ Many of the new West-Coast designers have obviously given a lot of thought to their furniture designs.
▷ have something on your mind /hæv (something) ɒn jɔːʳ ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to be thinking about something all the time, especially because you are worried about it :
▪ She has something on her mind, but she won’t tell us what it is.
▪ ‘Should we tell Dad?’ ‘No, he’s got a lot on his mind right now.’
be on somebody’s mind
▪ Come on, tell me what’s on your mind.
▪ I’m not looking forward to the interview. It’s been on my mind all week.
▷ can’t stop thinking about somebody/something also can’t get somebody/something out of my mind /ˌkɑːnt stɒp ˈθɪŋkɪŋ əbaʊt somebody/something ǁˌkænt stɑːp-, ˌkɑːnt get somebody/something aʊt əv maɪ ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase] informal
to be unable to stop thinking about someone or something, even when you do not want to think about them :
▪ After the first three months of the pregnancy were over, I just couldn’t stop thinking about food.
▪ I just can’t get that poor family out of my mind.
▷ dwell on /ˈdwel ɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb not usually in passive]
to spend too much time thinking about something sad or unpleasant - use this especially when telling someone not to do this :
▪ Brian’s still dwelling too much on the past, in my opinion.
▪ There’s no use in dwelling on problems that we can’t do anything about.
▷ brood /bruːd/ [intransitive verb]
to keep thinking for a long time about something that worries you or that makes you angry or upset :
▪ Austin sat in the corner brooding and looking sorry for himself.
brood on/over/about
▪ You can’t spend all your time at home brooding about the way he treated you.
▪ The poetry spends a lot of time brooding over death.
▷ be wrapped up in /biː ˌræpt ˈʌp ɪn/ [verb phrase]
to spend all your time thinking about something that concerns you, for example your work, so that you have no time to think about other things or other people :
▪ These days she’s so wrapped up in her children she never sees anybody.
▪ Sometimes the professors are so wrapped up in their graduate students, they ignore the undergraduates.
▷ be preoccupied /biː prɪˈɒkjɑpaɪdǁ-ˈɑːk-/ [verb phrase]
to be thinking all the time about something that is worrying you or that is important to you, so that it is difficult to think about anything else :
▪ What is being done to end the crisis which has preoccupied the country’s political leadership?
be preoccupied with
▪ My mother was preoccupied with my brother and his illness, so I was allowed to do what I wanted.
▷ have something on the brain /hæv something ɒn ðə ˈbreɪn/ [verb phrase] spoken
to be always thinking about a particular thing - use this when you want to say that someone thinks about something far too much :
▪ It’s unbelievable - you have sex on the brain 24 hours a day!
▷ turn something over in your mind /ˌtɜːʳn something əʊvər ɪn jɔːʳ ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase]
to think about something carefully and repeatedly, especially something you do not fully understand or that you have not made a final decision about :
▪ When Dan left, Mae stayed there, turning his invitation over in her mind.
▪ As he studied the picture of the little boy, he began to turn an idea over in his mind.
3. to think about something you might do in the future
▷ think about/of /ˈθɪŋk əbaʊt, ɒv/ [transitive verb not in passive]
▪ Have you ever thought about a cruise to the Bahamas?
think about/of doing something
▪ I’m thinking of specializing in Russian and Chinese.
▪ We thought about going away for a week or two, but neither of us have time.
▷ contemplate /ˈkɒntəmpleɪtǁˈkɑːn-/ [transitive verb]
to think seriously about something important you intend to do in the future - use this especially in written and formal contexts :
▪ Isn’t 17 a little young to be contemplating marriage?
contemplate doing something
▪ Many years ago he had contemplated writing a book about his childhood.
▪ The government was contemplating fining anyone who was found within the island’s danger zone.
▷ consider /kənˈsɪdəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to think about something that you might possibly do in the future, but without definitely deciding whether you will do it or not :
▪ We began to consider the possibility of moving to Japan permanently.
▪ For any skin problem, it’s worth considering a change of diet.
consider doing something
▪ I considered driving out to Atlantic City to meet her.
▪ Have you considered getting a new car?
▷ toy with the idea of /ˈtɔɪ wɪð ði aɪˌdɪər ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to think about doing something in the future, but not very seriously because you probably will not do it :
▪ Lately I’ve been toying with the idea of a trip to South America.
toy with the idea of doing something
▪ He began toying with the idea of writing a book about his years in the FBI.
▪ As late as the age of forty, I toyed with the idea of going back to college.
4. to think about the advantages and disadvantages of something
▷ take stock /ˌteɪk ˈstɒkǁ-ˈstɑːk/ [verb phrase]
to think carefully about the situation you are in, and about the way it has developed so far, in order to decide what to do next :
▪ Between projects, Morrison tries to rest, take stock, and do some gardening for relaxation.
take stock of
▪ Now that the crisis is over, it is time to take stock of the political situation in the region.
▪ It’s time to take stock of what our government does and weed out the wasteful and ineffective programs.
▷ weigh/weigh up /weɪ, ˌweɪˈʌp/ [transitive verb]
to carefully consider a plan or choice by comparing all the advantages and disadvantages involved, so that you can make a decision :
▪ I’ve been weighing up all the pros and cons of moving to London.
▪ Investors are weighing their next moves after the stock market climbed to record heights yesterday.
weigh something against something
▪ After weighing the cost of the new program against supposed benefits, the directors decided to cancel the project.
5. when someone is thinking about something
▷ thoughtful /ˈθɔːtf ə l/ [adjective]
someone who is thoughtful has a serious expression on their face and does not say anything, because they are thinking deeply about something :
▪ Suddenly he became more thoughtful, and his eyes filmed over with sadness.
▪ My mother sat and watched me eating my food with a thoughtful expression on her face -- I could tell she had something to say.
▷ pensive /ˈpensɪv/ [adjective]
thinking deeply about something and seeming a little sad - use this especially in literary contexts :
▪ He kept looking over at her sad, pensive face.
▪ As he ended his trip, the usually upbeat Mr. Liebenow was in a pensive mood.
pensively [adverb]
▪ Molly looked pensively out at the soft September day.
▷ be lost/deep in thought /biː ˌlɒst, ˌdiːp ɪn ˈθɔːtǁ-ˌlɔːst-/ [verb phrase]
to be thinking so deeply about something that you do not notice what is happening around you :
▪ She’d been so deep in thought, she hadn’t heard the man open the dining room door.
▪ Her mother stood folding the wash, lost in thought.
6. when you do or say something without thinking
▷ without thinking /wɪðˌaʊt ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ [adverb]
▪ Without thinking, Charlotte hugged the girl to try to comfort her.
without thinking about
▪ Most US companies are still spewing out carbon dioxide without thinking about its potential costs.
▷ off the top of your head /ɒf ðə ˌtɒp əv jɔːʳ ˈhedǁ-ˌtɑːp-/ [adverb] spoken
if you give an answer off the top of your head, you say it without thinking about it for very long and without being sure it is correct :
▪ ‘How much is the house worth?’ ‘Off the top of my head, I’d say it’s worth maybe $160,000.’
▷ in the heat of the moment /ɪn ðə ˌhiːt əv ðə ˈməʊmənt/ [adverb]
if you say or do something in the heat of the moment, you do it very suddenly and without thinking when you are feeling angry or excited, so that you feel sorry about it afterwards :
▪ ‘In the heat of the moment, my emotions took over and I hit him,’ Harper admitted.
▪ Our children need to know not only how to prevent pregnancies, but also the long-term effects of a decision they make in the heat of the moment.
▷ automatic /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk◂/ [adjective]
an automatic response, reaction, or answer is one that happens immediately and without you having to think, especially because you have done it many times before :
▪ A teacher’s automatic reaction is to correct mistakes in language.
▪ Elizabeth immediately flew into a rage - her automatic response to any kind of criticism.
▷ automatically /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪkli/ [adverb]
if you do something automatically, you do it as a natural reaction and without thinking, because it is what you always do :
▪ His mother continued to talk angrily, and Tim’s thoughts automatically switched to more pleasant subjects.
▪ You cannot automatically assume that everything your teacher says is correct.
▷ reflex /ˈriːfleks/ [adjective only before noun]
a reflex action, response, or movement is a physical movement that you make as a natural reaction to something, without having to think about doing it :
▪ a reflex eye movement
▪ At birth, an infant can perform only simple reflex actions and behaviours.
▷ knee-jerk reaction /ˈniː dʒɜːʳk riˌækʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
a reaction that someone makes without thinking at all, because it is the way they always react - use this about a reaction that you expect and disapprove of :
▪ Their knee-jerk reaction is to object to everything the management suggests.
▪ If a journalist’s judgement is questioned, the knee-jerk reaction is usually, ‘I have a right to print whatever I want, so I will.’
▷ off-the-cuff /ˌɒf ðə ˈkʌf/ [adjective]
an off-the-cuff remark is one that you make without thinking carefully and without any preparation :
▪ The press officer said that the president’s statement was an off-the-cuff remark, not as an official statement of policy.
off the cuff [adverb]
▪ Speaking off the cuff and with emotion, Pope John Paul II described his disappointment with the recent course of Western history.
7. when a thought comes into your mind
▷ think /θɪŋk/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to have an idea or thought in your mind, especially one that appears suddenly :
▪ What are you thinking right now?
think of
▪ I’ve just thought of a really good idea.
▪ Has she thought of any names for the baby?
▪ ‘Did you ask Rita?’ ‘No, I didn’t think of that.’
think of doing something
▪ There was water spraying everywhere, but nobody even thought of turning it off.
think (that)
▪ I think I’ll go and see what’s happening out there.
▷ have an idea /ˌhæv ən aɪˈdɪə/ [verb phrase]
to think of an idea :
▪ I have an idea. Why don’t I drive the kids to school and then you can stay here.
▪ Let me know if you have any good ideas.
▪ Theresa had another idea. We would hitchhike to her hometown, and live in her brother’s garage
have an idea for
▪ Collings had an idea for a device that would block out TV programs that parents didn’t want their children to watch.
▷ have a thought /ˌhæv ə ˈθɔːt/ [verb phrase not in progressive] spoken
to think something :
▪ I’ve just had an awful thought. What if all the banks are closed?
▪ I had an interesting thought today when I was talking to Anita. Do you realize that she’s never asked us to her house in all the time we’ve known her?
▷ occur to /əˈkɜːʳ tuː/ [transitive phrasal verb not in progressive or passive]
if a new thought occurs to you, you suddenly think it :
it occurs to somebody that
▪ It suddenly occurred to Miranda that perhaps no one would believe her story.
▪ Didn’t it occur to you that I might be worried?
something occurs to somebody
▪ The possibility that he might be wrong never occurs to him.
it occurs to somebody to do something
▪ As I thought about Mel and David and how similar they were, it occurred to me to introduce them to each other.
▷ cross somebody’s mind /ˌkrɒs somebodyˈs ˈmaɪndǁˌkrɔːs-/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
if a thought crosses someone’s mind they think about it for a short time :
▪ ‘Why didn’t you call me?’ "The thought did cross my mind while I was shopping this afternoon, but then I forgot all about it.
it crossed somebody’s mind that
▪ It crossed my mind that I was the only female coach on the committee, but that made me more determined than ever.
it crossed somebody’s mind to do something
▪ Several times it had crossed his mind to check on the car, but he never actually did it.
it never crossed somebody’s mind
▪ ‘It never crossed my mind to give up,’ he said. ‘It became an obsession.’
▷ enter somebody’s mind /ˌentəʳ somebodyˈs ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
if a thought enters someone’s mind, they begin to think about it :
it entered somebody’s mind that
▪ At that moment it entered my mind that maybe someone was trying to kill him.
it entered somebody’s mind to do something
▪ Did it ever enter your mind to take out the garbage?
it never entered somebody’s mind
▪ It never entered my mind that Philip might be jealous.
▷ strike /straɪk/ [transitive verb not in progressive or passive]
if a thought or idea strikes you, you suddenly think it, especially because of something you have just seen or heard :
it strikes somebody that
▪ I looked around the glittering room and it struck me that I was probably the poorest person there.
strike somebody as strike adjective
▪ My mother was always asking questions, and it struck me as odd that she didn’t ask one on this occasion.
▷ come to mind/spring to mind /ˌkʌm tə ˈmaɪnd, ˌsprɪŋ tə ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
if something comes or springs to mind, you suddenly think it, especially in relation to a particular subject that you are considering :
▪ As I read the letter again, a number of thoughts came to mind.
▪ Henry asked the first question that came to mind.
▪ I love the circus life, but when people asked me what I wanted to be when I was older, ‘circus performer’ was not what sprang to mind.
8. to have a particular opinion
▷ think /θɪŋk/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
think (that)
▪ We didn’t think that the concert was very good.
▪ She thinks I’m crazy to leave my job.
▪ I thought we had a good meeting yesterday.
what do you think of somebody/something
what is your opinion about them?
▪ What did you think of the new car? Did you drive it?
▷ believe /bɪˈliːv, bəˈliːv/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to have an opinion that you are sure is right, especially about something important such as life, religion, or politics :
believe (that)
▪ The party believes strongly that health care should be provided for everyone.
▪ We believe human rights are more important than economic considerations.
▷ feel /fiːl/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to have a strong opinion, but one which is based on your feelings rather than on facts :
feel (that)
▪ Liz’s parents feel she isn’t old enough to leave home.
▪ I feel that we’re just beginning to make progress, and that it would be wrong to stop now.
▷ figure /ˈfɪgəʳǁˈfɪgjər/ [transitive verb not in progressive or passive] especially American, informal
to develop a particular opinion about a situation after considering it carefully :
▪ What do you figure his chances of winning are?
figure (that)
▪ The operation went fine, and they figure he’ll be home next week.
▪ I’m telling you because I figure you’re the only one who can keep a secret.
▷ reckon /ˈrekən/ [transitive verb not in progressive] especially British, informal
to have a particular opinion about something or someone :
▪ What do you reckon - would this make a good present for Donald’s birthday?
reckon (that)
▪ They reckon the French team’s better than ours.
be reckoned to be something
▪ This hotel is reckoned to be one of the best in the country.
▷ consider /kənˈsɪdəʳ/ [transitive verb not in progressive] formal
to have an opinion about someone or something after thinking carefully about them :
consider somebody/something something
▪ We do not consider this film suitable for young children.
▪ I would consider it an honour to serve on the Executive Committee.
consider somebody/something to be something
▪ She is considered to be one of the finest pianists of her generation.
▷ regard/see /rɪˈgɑːʳd, siː/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to think that someone or something is a particular kind of person or thing :
regard somebody/something as something
▪ She regards herself more as an entertainer than a singer.
▪ America was seen as the land of opportunity.
▪ Several members of the government have said they regard the Minister’s statement as ridiculous.
▷ think of somebody/something as/look on somebody/something as /ˈθɪŋk əv somebody/something æz something, ˈlʊk ɒn somebody/something æz/ [transitive verb not usually in progressive]
to think that someone or something is a particular kind of person or thing, especially when your opinion is wrong, unusual, or unfair :
▪ Most people think of Leonardo da Vinci as a great artist, but he was also a great scientist.
▪ Learning a language should be thought of as a natural process.
▪ Even doctors may look on these patients as drug addicts and treat them as social outcasts.
▷ take the view that/be of the opinion that /ˌteɪk ðə ˈvjuː ðət, biː əv ði əˈpɪnjən ðət/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to decide to have a particular opinion about a situation or about life in general, especially when other people have different opinions - use this in formal or written contexts :
▪ Nineteenth century scientists took the view that the Universe was meaningless.
▪ Aristotle was of the opinion that there would always be rich and poor within society.
▪ The committee is of the opinion that the contract is not legally binding.
▷ be recognized/acknowledged as /biː ˈrekəgnaɪzd, əkˈnɒlɪdʒd æzǁ-ˈnɑː-/ [verb phrase]
to be thought of as being important or very good by a large number of people :
▪ Von Braun was then acknowledged as the world’s foremost expert on rocket engineering.
▪ Lawrence’s novel was rejected at first, but it later came to be recognized as a work of genius.
9. the way you generally think about something
▷ attitude /ˈætɪtjuːdǁ-tuːd/ [countable noun]
▪ When I told them I was a doctor their whole attitude changed.
▪ What I don’t need is somebody with an attitude problem.
attitude to/towards
▪ His attitude to his new job seemed to be very negative.
▪ In order to change attitudes towards employing women, the government is bringing in new laws.
attitude of
▪ They maintained an attitude of defiance to social conventions.
▷ mentality /menˈtælɪti, menˈtæləti/ [countable noun usually singular]
an attitude that a particular group of people has, which makes them behave in a way that you think is stupid or wrong :
▪ I don’t understand the mentality of these teenagers.
▪ She despised the bourgeois mentality of the professional class.
▪ You know, I wonder if this is a male kind of mentality.
▷ way of thinking /ˌweɪ əv ˈθɪnkɪŋ/ [noun phrase]
the attitude of a person or group, especially about what other people should or should not do :
▪ You’ll come to understand my way of thinking when you’re my age and you have your own children to worry about.
▪ I was glad to be with people who shared my way of thinking.
▷ outlook /ˈaʊtlʊk/ [countable noun]
someone’s general attitude to life :
▪ After a good vacation, you’ll have a completely different outlook.
▪ The farmers were narrowly provincial in their outlook.
outlook on
attitude to life etc
▪ His outlook on life is largely a result of his strict education.
▷ world view /ˌwɜːʳld ˈvjuː/ [singular noun]
the attitude that a person, group or nation has towards life or the world :
▪ The traditional Indian world view is based on certain definite concepts.
▪ the Communist world view
▪ He believes the change in the world view has occurred because of the new developments in communications.
▷ mindset /ˈmaɪndset/ [singular noun]
the way a particular person or group tends to think, especially when this is difficult to change :
▪ The residents of this city have an insular mindset, so strangers are not always made welcome.
▪ The mindset of that generation was definitely more obedient than today’s.
▪ There does seem to have been a slight shift in the government’s mindset in the light of recent events.
10. what you say when giving your opinion
▷ I think/believe /aɪ ˈθɪŋk, bə̇ˈliːv/ spoken
say this when giving your opinion. I believe is more formal than I think :
I think/believe (that)
▪ I think it’s a great idea.
▪ I believe that we can do better than this.
▷ in my opinion /ɪn ˈmaɪ əˌpɪnjən/ [adverb]
use this especially in formal contexts :
▪ In my opinion, most people learn best by doing, not by sitting in a classroom and reading about it.
▪ She is, in my opinion, one of the foremost artists of our time.
▷ as far as I’m/we’re concerned /əz ˌfɑːr əz ˈaɪm, ˈwɪəʳ kənˌsɜːʳnd/ [adverb] especially spoken
use this especially when you do not care if other people do not agree with your opinion :
▪ He says he tried hard to make the relationship work, but it wasn’t hard enough as far as I’m concerned.
▪ I will not go on a plane. As far as I’m concerned, they’re just accidents waiting to happen.
▷ if you ask me /ɪf juː ˌɑsk ˈmiːǁ-ˌæsk-/ [adverb] spoken
say this especially when you are giving your opinion about a particular problem :
▪ If you ask me, getting rid of the death tax is the best thing they could do.
▪ All this stuff about poisons in the water supply is a load of hogwash, if you ask me.
▷ to me /tə ˈmiː/ [adverb] spoken
say this when giving your opinion :
▪ To me, the system seemed too complicated for most people.
▪ They call Ned Kelly a criminal, but to me he will always be a hero.
▷ as I see it/the way I see it /əz ˈaɪ ˌsiː ɪt, ðə ˌweɪ ˈaɪ ˌsiː ɪt/ [adverb]
say this when giving your opinion :
▪ As I see it, there are two alternatives. We can either stay with your parents or rent a place.
▪ The way I see it, if you don’t borrow money now, you’ll lose the opportunity to expand the business.
▷ personally /ˈpɜːʳs ə n ə li/ [adverb] spoken
say this to emphasize that something is your opinion :
▪ Personally, I think it’s a crazy idea.
▪ Personally, I don’t care how it gets done, as long as it’s done quickly.
personally speaking
▪ Personally speaking, I think it’s a great name for a cigarette.
11. to think that something is true, but not be sure
▷ think/believe /θɪŋk, bə̇ˈliːv/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to think something is true, but you are not completely sure. Believe is more formal than think :
think/believe (that)
▪ I think Jill moved to the new house last week.
▪ ‘Is it painted?’ ‘No, I think it’s a mosaic.’
I think so/I believe so
say this to answer "yes" to a questions when you are fairly sure that something is true
▪ ‘Has James gone home?’ ‘Yes, I think so.’
▷ assume /əˈsjuːmǁəˈsuːm/ [transitive verb]
to think that something is true, although you have no proof :
▪ You shouldn’t just assume things without getting all the facts.
assume (that)
▪ I just assumed that the woman standing next to Jack was his wife.
▪ We assume that other industrialized nations are going to help with money for food and other supplies.
we can safely assume
it is reasonably certain
▪ I think we can safely assume that the practice is legal.
▷ assumption /əˈsʌmpʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
something that you think is true although you have no proof :
▪ Yes the Socialists will probably win -- that seems a fair assumption.
make the assumption that
▪ At that time we had to make the assumption that the disease was spreading and take action to stop it.
on the assumption that
▪ Eden acted on the assumption that his allies would support him.
▷ be under the impression (that) /biː ˌʌndəʳ ði ɪmˈpreʃ ə n (ðət)/ [verb phrase]
to wrongly believe that something is true, because of something you have heard or seen :
▪ I was under the impression that you couldn’t get a parking ticket on private property.
be under the mistaken impression (that)
▪ The average American is under the mistaken impression that wildlife refuges have been set up to protect animals.
▷ suspect /səˈspekt/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to think that something is probably true, especially something bad :
suspect (that)
▪ I suspect that he never really loved her.
▪ No one suspected anything was wrong.
as somebody suspected
▪ As we suspected, there is a problem with the braking system, and it will be replaced.
▷ believe /bɪˈliːv, bəˈliːv/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to feel sure that something is true because of information that you have, although there is always some possibility that you are wrong :
believe (that)
▪ Police believe that the money was stolen by a gang of youths.
believe somebody to be capable/honest/a fool etc
▪ I had always believed Catherine to be absolutely honest in money matters.
firmly believe
▪ Both sides firmly believe that a peace settlement is now possible.
▷ presume /prɪˈzjuːmǁ-ˈzuːm/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to be fairly sure of something, especially because you have a good reason to think so, although you have no proof :
presume (that)
▪ The committee presumed that its decisions would be carried out.
presume somebody/something to be somebody/something
▪ Many scientists presumed the new damage to the forests to be the result of higher levels of pollution.
be presumed innocent/dead/responsible etc
▪ The defendant is presumed innocent until proved guilty.
▷ presumably /prɪˈzjuːməbliǁ-ˈzuː-/ [adverb]
if you say something presumably is a fact, you think it must be true because of the information you have :
▪ Several of the villagers disappeared, presumably killed by enemy soldiers.
▪ The audience hears the word so many times during the play that presumably they learn what it means if they didn’t already know.
▷ suppose /səˈpəʊz/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to think that something is probably true, especially because of some information you have - use this in written or formal contexts :
suppose (that)
▪ We have no reason to suppose that the girl is dead.
▪ There are many reasons to suppose that Shakespeare was familiar with the stories of medieval Italy.
▷ take it for granted /ˌteɪk ɪt fəʳ ˈgrɑːntə̇dǁ-ˈgræn-/ [verb phrase]
to be sure that something is true without ever asking yourself whether you are right or not :
▪ I never asked if she was single - I just took it for granted.
take it for granted (that)
▪ I took if for granted that Steven would still be working for us when the new project started.
12. what you say when you think something is true, but you are not sure
▷ I think /aɪ ˈθɪŋk/ spoken :
▪ She’ll be here about 9, I think.
I think (that)
▪ I think the dog must have eaten it.
I think so
▪ ‘Is Matthew still here?’ ‘I think so -- I’ve just seen him.’
I would think so
▪ ‘Will Jenny be at the meeting?’ ‘I would think so.’
▷ I suppose /aɪ səˈpəʊz/ spoken
say this when you think that something is probably true but you are not really sure :
▪ Having a burglar alarm makes you feel safer, I suppose.
I suppose (that)
▪ I suppose we can pay by credit card but we’d better check first.
I suppose so
say this to answer a question
▪ ‘Will the children be disappointed?’ ‘Yes, I suppose so.’
▷ I guess /aɪ ˈges/ especially American, spoken
say this when you think that something is probably true but you are not really sure :
▪ Rob just got tired of living with her, I guess.
I guess (that)
▪ I guess this is the best way to do it.
I guess so
▪ ‘Is the truck safe to drive now?’ ‘I guess so.’
▷ get the impression/feeling/idea /ˌget ði ɪmˈpreʃ ə n, ˈfiːlɪŋ, aɪˈdɪə/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to start to think something is a fact because of various things that happen, because of the way someone is behaving etc :
get the impression/feeling/idea (that)
▪ I got the impression she was actually quite nervous about it.
▪ Walking down the main street, you get the feeling that nothing ever happens in this town.
▪ I don’t want you to get the idea that I don’t like him.
get this/that idea
▪ ‘He thinks you’re angry with them.’ ‘Where on earth did he get that idea?’
▷ as far as I know /əz ˌfɑːr əz ˈaɪ nəʊ/ spoken
say this when you think that something is true, although you realize that you may not know all the facts :
▪ As far as I know, Caroline’s never been married.
▪ Alaska doesn’t have any drilling sites off the coast, as far as I know.
▷ I imagine /aɪ ɪˈmædʒə̇n/ spoken
say this when you think that something is likely to be true, although what you say is only based on your opinion :
I imagine (that)
▪ I imagine she’s stuck in a traffic jam or something.
I would imagine (that)
▪ I would imagine that Libby could help you - she knows a lot about legal things.
▷ as far as I’m aware /əz ˌfɑːr əz ˈaɪm əˌweəʳ/ spoken
say this when you want to make it clear that there may be things you do not know about a situation :
▪ As far as I am aware, Mr Cusner and his family are still living in Cleveland, Ohio.
▷ to the best of my knowledge /tə ðə ˌbest əv maɪ ˈnɒlɪdʒǁ-ˈnɑː-/ formal spoken
say this when you want to make it clear that you are not completely sure about the statement you are making :
▪ To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that anyone has translated these poems into English.
▷ I take it /aɪ ˈteɪk ɪt/ spoken
say this when you think that something is true and you are asking someone else to tell you that you are right :
I take it (that)
▪ I take it that you’re Rob’s sister?
▪ So can we take it that you’ll be at the meeting?
▪ You’ve made plans for the future, I take it?