INDEX:
1. something that you think of
2. a good idea
3. an idea or set of ideas that explains something
4. to think of an idea
5. good at thinking of new ideas
6. containing interesting or new ideas
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ THINK
↑ OPINION
↑ INVENT
↑ IMAGINE
↑ INTELLIGENT
↑ SUGGEST
↑ LOGICAL
◆◆◆
1. something that you think of
▷ idea /aɪˈdɪə/ [countable noun]
something that you think of, such as a plan or suggestion :
have an idea
▪ ‘I have an idea,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you come with us?’
▪ We’re trying to think of a name for the book. Does anyone have any ideas?
idea for
▪ Here are some new ideas for quick meals that taste great.
▪ an idea for a new TV game show
it was somebody’s idea
they thought of it
▪ I never wanted to go to Spain. It was Sue’s idea.
idea to do something
▪ Who’s idea was it to ask him to the party?
the idea of (doing) something
▪ The idea of an underground garage in the park has provoked a lot of anger.
idea that
▪ Nobody seemed very keen on the idea that we should all dress up for the party.
▷ thought /θɔːt/ [countable noun]
an idea - use this especially when you have not yet considered it carefully :
▪ That’s an interesting thought. Let’s discuss it at the meeting.
have a thought
▪ I’ve just had a thought - it might be quicker to go by bus.
thoughts on something
▪ If you have any thoughts on the matter, let me know.
somebody’s thoughts about something
▪ I’d like you to begin by writing down your thoughts about the play.
it was (just/only) a thought
spoken say this when someone seems to disagree with your idea
▪ ‘That’s not a very good time of year to travel.’ ‘Perhaps not. It was just a thought.’
2. a good idea
▷ good/great/fantastic etc idea /ˌgʊd aɪˈdɪə/ [countable noun] especially spoken :
▪ ‘We could go and see a movie.’ ‘Good idea!’
▪ I think a skiing holiday is a brilliant idea.
▪ That’s a great idea! Let’s call Madge and see if she can come too.
▷ bright idea /ˌbraɪt aɪˈdɪə/ [countable noun]
a very good idea that you think of suddenly. This is sometimes also used when you think that someone’s idea is not good :
▪ Why not ask Sylvia? She’s always full of bright ideas.
whose bright idea was it ...
used when you think something is a bad idea
▪ Whose bright idea was it to start major road repairs right at the start of the holiday season?
▷ brainwave British /brainstorm American /ˈbreɪnweɪv, ˈbreɪnstɔːʳm/ [countable noun] informal
a sudden, very good idea :
▪ Unless someone comes up with a brainwave soon, I can’t see how we can possibly get out of this mess.
have a brainwave
▪ Then Mo had a brainstorm. She would start her own coffee bar for teenagers.
▷ inspiration /ˌɪnspɪˈreɪʃ ə n, ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃ ə n/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a sudden good idea about what to do or say, that seems to come to you from nowhere :
▪ Of course! If he thinks it was his idea in the first place, he’s bound to agree. What an inspiration!
inspiration for
▪ Where exactly did you get the inspiration for the movie?
inspiration comes to somebody
▪ Inspiration came to him as he started to write for the second time.
flash of inspiration
a sudden good idea
▪ In that instant, he had a flash of inspiration: he and Tom would try and rescue Frankie themselves.
▷ stroke of genius /ˌstrəʊk əv ˈdʒiːniəs/ [noun phrase] informal
a very good and original idea about what to do or how to deal with a problem :
▪ They named the new car ‘Thunderbird.’ It was a stroke of genius.
▪ At first, the manager’s appointment of talented but inexperienced players seemed like a stroke of genius.
3. an idea or set of ideas that explains something
▷ theory /ˈθɪ ə ri/ [countable/uncountable noun]
an idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain something, especially in science :
▪ This theory helps to explain how animals communicate with each other.
theory that
▪ It’s my theory that the murderer knew his victim quite well.
▪ There’s a theory that Kennedy was killed by the CIA.
theory about
▪ There have been a lot of theories about the meaning of dreams.
somebody’s theory of something
▪ Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
▪ Einstein’s theory of relativity
economic/political etc theory
▪ Atkin taught political theory at Hunter College.
▷ hypothesis /haɪˈpɒθɪsəs, haɪˈpɒθəsəsǁ-ˈpɑː-/ plural hypotheses /-siːz/ [countable noun] formal
an idea that is based on very few facts and that you cannot be sure is right :
▪ Various hypotheses are possible regarding the nature and structure of the world.
▪ The results of our experiment confirmed this hypothesis.
▷ premise /ˈpremɪs, ˈpreməs/ [countable noun]
a statement or idea that you accept as being true and use as a base for developing other ideas :
▪ American justice works on the premise that an accused person is innocent until they are proved guilty.
▪ I believe his whole argument is based on a false premise.
▷ idea /aɪˈdɪə/ [countable noun]
a way of explaining something about life, society, etc :
▪ Ideas and customs used to be passed on intact down the generations.
▪ Do you agree generally with Marx’s ideas?
idea about
▪ medieval ideas about the origins of the universe
idea that
▪ How old is the idea that there is life after death?
idea of
▪ Ideas of how society should function have changed dramatically in the last 200 years.
▷ notion /ˈnəʊʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
a way of explaining something about life, society, etc, that people often think is a little stupid or old-fashioned :
▪ Many widely-held notions about crime have come from the cinema, magazines, or novels.
notion of
▪ Modern society does not always correspond to classical notions of democracy.
a vague/absurd/fanciful etc notion
▪ Humans still hold on to the absurd notion that we are the only intelligent beings in the Universe.
▷ concept /ˈkɒnseptǁˈkɑːn-/ [countable noun]
someone’s idea of how something is done, or how it should be done :
▪ She thinks that marriage is an old-fashioned concept.
concept of
▪ What’s your concept of an ideal society?
4. to think of an idea
▷ have an idea /ˌhæv ən aɪˈdɪə/ [verb phrase]
▪ I’ve had an idea. What do you think about going to Greece this summer?
▪ That’s the best idea you’ve had all day.
have an idea for
▪ Do you have any ideas for a birthday present for Mum?
have the idea of doing something
▪ He had the idea of hiding Ali’s shoes.
▷ get an idea /ˌget ən aɪˈdɪə/ [verb phrase]
to think of an idea - use this especially to say what made you think of it or to ask someone what made them think of it :
▪ Where on earth did you get that idea?
get the idea for something
▪ Mark got the idea for the novel when he was in Boston in 1969.
get an idea from
▪ It wasn’t my own idea. I got it from a TV movie.
get the idea of doing something
▪ She first got the idea of working with elderly people after the death of her mother.
get an idea that
▪ I don’t know how she got the idea that she was too fat.
▷ think of /ˈθɪŋk ɒv/ [transitive phrasal verb not in progressive]
to have an idea about what to do, how to do something etc :
▪ At first, we couldn’t think of a name for the band.
▪ Seth decided to go home. He couldn’t think of anything else to do.
▪ Ask Dad. He might be able to think of a solution.
▷ come to /ˈkʌm tuː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
if an idea comes to someone, they have the idea suddenly and without trying hard to think of it :
▪ The idea for the new advertising campaign came to me while I was visiting Thailand.
it came to somebody that
▪ It suddenly came to me that I’d seen her somewhere before.
come to somebody in a flash
very suddenly
▪ It came to Blake in a flash that the man was really a detective.
▷ hit on/upon /ˈhɪt ɒn, əpɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb not in progressive] informal
to have a good idea after thinking about or working on a problem for a long time :
▪ At last we hit on a way of getting Tom and Marcia to meet.
▪ The architects finally hit upon a design that seemed to please everyone.
▷ be inspired by /biː ɪnˈspaɪəʳd baɪ/ [verb phrase]
if someone’s plan, work of art, action etc is inspired by something, that is what gave them the idea to do it :
▪ The novel was inspired by her own experiences in India.
▪ Some of Picasso’s work was inspired by African art.
▪ The 1911 strike was inspired by the revolutionary ideas flooding out of Europe at that time.
5. good at thinking of new ideas
▷ creative /kriˈeɪtɪv/ [adjective]
good at using your imagination to think of new ideas or to produce new things :
▪ Tarantino is one of Hollywood’s most creative directors.
▪ We need someone creative and enthusiastic to take this project forward.
creative abilities/faculties
▪ Children should be allowed to develop their creative as well as their academic abilities.
creatively [adverb]
▪ The aim of the course is to teach students to write creatively.
creativity /ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvɪti, ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvəti/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Her latest work displays tremendous skill and creativity.
▷ imaginative/inventive /ɪˈmædʒɪnətɪv, ɪˈmædʒənətɪv, ɪnˈventɪv/ [adjective]
use this about someone who is very good at thinking of new and unusual ways of doing things :
▪ He was one of the most original and imaginative writers of his time.
▪ Marr had a brilliant inventive mind.
▪ the most inventive sculptor since Picasso
▷ full of ideas /biː ˌfʊl əv aɪˈdɪəz/ [] informal
to have a lot of new ideas and to want to tell people all about them :
▪ Ron was full of ideas and seemed very enthusiastic about the show.
▪ I don’t know what’s the matter. She’s usually so bright and full of clever ideas.
6. containing interesting or new ideas
▷ imaginative/inventive /ɪˈmædʒɪnətɪv, ɪˈmædʒənətɪv, ɪnˈventɪv/ [adjective]
containing new ideas that are used in interesting and original ways :
▪ The film uses computer graphics in an unusual and highly imaginative way.
▪ an imaginative solution to the city’s crime problem
▪ These figures are some of the most inventive of all African tribal sculptures.
▪ Inside the magazine you will find plenty of inventive ideas for redecorating your home.