■ noun
1》 a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.
↘a mental impression.
↘a belief.
2》 ( the ~ ) the aim or purpose of an action.
3》 Philosophy (in Platonic thought) an eternally existing pattern of which individual things in any class are imperfect copies.
↘(in Kantian thought) a concept of pure reason, not empirically based in experience.
Phrases
get (or give someone ) ~s informal become (or make someone) ambitious, conceited, or tempted to do something.
have no ~ informal not know at all.
that's the ~ informal that's right.
the very ~! informal an exclamation of disapproval or disagreement.
Origin
ME: via L. from Gk ~ 'form, pattern', from the base of idein 'to see'.