con ‧ ceive AC /kənˈsiːv/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ conceive ; noun : ↑ conception ; adjective : ↑ conceivable ≠ ↑ inconceivable ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: conceivre , from Latin concipere 'to take in, conceive' , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + capere 'to take' ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] formal to imagine a particular situation or to think about something in a particular way
(cannot) conceive of (doing) something
Many people can’t conceive of a dinner without meat or fish.
conceive that
He could not conceive that anything really serious could be worrying his friend.
conceive what/why/how etc
I can hardly conceive what it must be like here in winter.
conceive of something/somebody as something
Language may be conceived of as a process which arises from social interaction.
2 . [transitive] to think of a new idea, plan etc and develop it in your mind ⇨ conception :
Scientists first conceived the idea of the atomic bomb in the 1930s.
3 . [intransitive and transitive] to become ↑ pregnant ⇨ conception :
fertility treatment for women who have difficulty conceiving
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THESAURUS
▪ invent to think of an idea for a new product, machine etc, and design it or make it:
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
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Who invented the Internet?
▪ create to make or design something new and original:
We decided to create the software ourselves.
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For her latest book, she has created a whole new group of characters.
▪ think of something/think up something to produce a new idea, plan, method, excuse etc by thinking:
I’ve thought of an idea.
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They’re always trying to think up new ways to improve efficiency.
▪ come up with something to produce a new idea, a way of dealing with something etc, especially a good one:
How did you come up with that idea?
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Ellis came up with the solution to the problem immediately.
▪ make something up to invent a story, song, game, excuse etc:
My mother used to make up bedtime stories for us.
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I didn’t want to go to the class, so I decided to make up an excuse.
▪ dream something up to think of an idea or plan, especially one that seems unusual or even crazy:
It can’t be easy dreaming up new advertisements all the time.
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I wonder who dreamt up that idea!
▪ devise formal to invent a way of doing something, especially one that is clever or complicated:
This system was devised as a way of measuring students’ progress.
▪ conceive formal to think of a new idea, plan etc and develop it in your mind:
The project was originally conceived by a Dutch businessman two years ago.