o ‧ pin ‧ ion S1 W2 /əˈpɪnjən/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin opinio ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] your ideas or beliefs about a particular subject
opinion of
What’s your opinion of Cathy?
opinion on
He asked his wife’s opinion on every important decision.
opinion about
The two women had very different opinions about drugs.
in my opinion (=used when giving your opinion)
In my opinion, the law should be changed.
⇨ ↑ view 1 (1)
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say I think ... rather than my opinion is ... or in my opinion ... . In questions, people usually ask what do you think? rather than what is your opinion? :
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What do you think of Cathy?
2 . [countable] judgement or advice from a professional person about something:
When choosing an insurance policy it’s best to get an independent opinion.
My doctor says I need an operation, but I’ve asked for a second opinion (=advice from a second doctor to make sure that the first advice is right) .
They took the painting to get an expert opinion (=an opinion from someone who knows a lot) .
3 . have a high/low/good/bad etc opinion of somebody/something to think that someone or something is very good or very bad:
They have a very high opinion of Paula’s work.
4 . be of the opinion (that) to think that something is true:
I was firmly of the opinion that we should not give Jackson any more money.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have/hold an opinion
Everyone seemed to have a different opinion.
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He holds strong opinions on these issues.
▪ ask somebody (for) their opinion ( also ask for sb’s opinion )
We asked people for their opinions about the Olympics.
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Nobody asked my opinion.
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It’s a good idea to ask people for their opinions and suggestions.
▪ give/express an opinion (=say what your opinion is)
He gave his opinion only when asked.
▪ voice/state an opinion written (=give your opinion, especially in a formal situation)
She has every right to voice her opinion.
▪ form an opinion (=gradually decide what your opinion is)
Olson had not yet formed an opinion as to Mark’s reliability.
■ adjectives
▪ the general opinion (=the opinion that most people have about something)
The general opinion seems to be that the government has made a mess of the war.
▪ popular/public opinion (=what ordinary people think about something)
How much do newspapers influence popular opinion?
▪ sb’s personal opinion
My personal opinion is that his first film was better.
▪ strong opinions
People have strong opinions about this subject.
■ phrases
▪ have a difference of opinion (= two people disagree)
He and Luke had a difference of opinion.
▪ something is a matter of opinion (=used to say that you disagree, or that people disagree about something)
"He’s a very nice man." "That’s a matter of opinion," thought Sam.
▪ contrary to popular opinion (=in spite of what most people think)
Contrary to popular opinion, many cats dislike milk.
▪ in my humble opinion (=used when giving your opinion, especially when you want to emphasize what you are about to say)
In my humble opinion, he is the greatest sportsman Britain has produced.
▪ keep your opinions to yourself (=not say what you really think)
As the youngest person there, I knew enough to keep my opinions to myself.
▪ opinion is divided as to/on/over something (=people have different opinions about it)
Opinion was divided as to whether the program will work.
▪ everyone is entitled to their opinion (=used especially when politely disagreeing with what someone says)
Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I can't accept what he is saying.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say ' according to my opinion '. Say in my opinion .
Do not say ' say your opinion '. Say give your opinion or express your opinion .
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THESAURUS
▪ opinion what you think about something or someone:
People didn’t usually ask his opinion about anything.
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She has rather a low opinion of young people.
▪ view your opinion about a serious or important issue:
She has strong views about education.
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In my view, footballers are paid too much.
▪ point of view your opinion, especially when this is influenced by the situation you are in:
From a farmer’s point of view, foxes are a nuisance.
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It all depends on your point of view.
▪ position the official opinion of a government, political party, or someone in authority:
The Prime Minister has made his position perfectly clear.
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The party has changed its position on nuclear weapons.
▪ attitude your opinions and feelings about something or someone, especially when this shows in your behaviour:
My parents and I have very different attitudes to life.
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It was his attitude to women that shocked me.
▪ school of thought an opinion that one group of people have about a subject, especially when this is different from that of another group:
There is one school of thought that says that coffee is addictive and is therefore a bad thing.
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There are two schools of thought on this.