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Possible entries for thought

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thought /{phon_capt}{phon_capo}:t/ noun
STH YOU THINK
1 [C] ~ (of sth / of doing sth)| ~ (that ... ) something that you think of or remember: I don’t like the thought of you walking home alone. * She was struck by the sudden thought that he might already have left. * The very thought of it makes me feel sick. * I’ve just had a thought (= an idea). * Would Mark be able to help? It’s just a thought. * ‘Why don’t you try the other key?’ ‘That’s a thought!’ * All kinds of thoughts raced through my mind. * I’d like to hear your thoughts on the subject.

MIND / IDEAS
2 thoughts [pl.] a person’s mind and all the ideas that they have in it when they are thinking: My thoughts turned to home. * You are always in my thoughts.

PROCESS / ACT OF THINKING
3 [U] the power or process of thinking: A good teacher encourages independence of thought. * She was lost in thought (= concentrating so much on her thoughts that she was not aware of her surroundings).
4 [U] the act of thinking seriously and carefully about sth syn consideration: I’ve given the matter careful thought. * Not enough thought has gone into this essay.

CARE / WORRY
5 [C] ~ (for sb/sth) a feeling of care or worry: Spare a thought for those without enough to eat this winter. * Don’t give it another thought (= to tell sb not to worry after they have said they are sorry). * It’s the thought that counts (= used to say that sb has been very kind even if they have only done sth small or unimportant).

INTENTION
6 [U, C] ~ (of sth / of doing sth) an intention or a hope of doing sth: She had given up all thought of changing her job. * He acted with no thoughts of personal gain.

IN POLITICS / SCIENCE, etc.
7 [U] ideas in politics, science, etc. connected with a particular person, group or period of history: feminist thought

—see also think v.

idiom have ,second 'thoughts to change your opinion after thinking about sth again: You’re not having second thoughts about it, are you?

idiom on 'second thoughts (BrE) (NAmE on 'second thought) used to say that you have changed your opinion: I’ll wait here. No, on second thoughts, I’ll come with you.

idiom without a second 'thought immediately; without stopping to think about sth further: He dived in after her without a second thought.—more at collect v., food, pause n., penny, perish, school n., train n., wish n.



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