mind

[ mahynd ]
See synonyms for: mindmindedminding on Thesaurus.com
noun

  1. (in a human or other conscious being) the element, part, substance, or process that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges, etc.: the processes of the human mind.

  2. Psychology. the totality of conscious and unconscious mental processes and activities.

  1. intellect or understanding, as distinguished from the faculties of feeling and willing; intelligence.

  2. a particular instance of the intellect or intelligence, as in a person.

  3. a person considered with reference to intellectual power: the greatest minds of the twentieth century.

  4. intellectual power or ability.

  5. reason, sanity, or sound mental condition: to lose one's mind.

  6. a way of thinking and feeling; disposition; temper: a liberal mind.

  7. a state of awareness or remembrance: The poem puts me in mind of experiences both new and forgotten.

  8. opinion, view, or sentiments: to change one's mind.

  9. inclination or desire: to be of a mind to listen.

  10. purpose, intention, or will: Let me know your mind in this matter before Tuesday.

  11. psychic or spiritual being, as opposed to matter.

  12. a conscious or intelligent agency or being: an awareness of a mind ordering the universe.

  13. remembrance or recollection; memory: Former days were called to mind.

  14. attention; thoughts: He can't keep his mind on his studies.

  15. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. notice; attention: When he's like that, just pay him no mind.

  16. Roman Catholic Church. a commemoration of a person's death, especially by a Requiem Mass.: Compare month's mind, year's mind.

  17. (initial capital letter)Also called Divine Mind. Christian Science. God; the incorporeal source of life, substance, and intelligence.: Compare mortal mind.

verb (used with object)

  1. to pay attention to.

  2. to heed or obey (a person, advice, instructions, etc.).

  1. to apply oneself or attend to: to mind one's own business.

  2. to look after; take care of; tend: to mind the baby.

  3. to be careful, cautious, or wary about: Mind what you say.

  4. to feel concern at; care about.

  5. to feel disturbed or inconvenienced by; object to (usually used in negative or interrogative constructions): Would you mind handing me that book?

  6. to regard as concerning oneself or as mattering: Don't mind his bluntness.

  7. Dialect.

    • to perceive or notice.

    • to remember.

    • to remind.

verb (used without object)

  1. to pay attention.

  2. to obey.

  1. to take notice, observe, or understand (used chiefly in the imperative): Mind now, I want you home by twelve.

  2. to be careful or wary.

  3. to care, feel concern, or object (often used in negative or interrogative constructions): Mind if I go? Don't mind if I do.

  4. to regard a thing as concerning oneself or as mattering: You mustn't mind about their gossiping.

Idioms about mind

  1. bear / keep in mind, to remember: Bear in mind that the newspaper account may be in error.

  2. blow one's mind, Slang.

    • to change one's perceptions, awareness, etc., as through the use of drugs or narcotics.

    • to overwhelm a person with intense excitement, pleasure, astonishment, or dismay: Cool jazz really blows my mind.

  1. cross one's mind, to occur suddenly to one: A disturbing thought crossed her mind.

  2. frame of mind. See entry at frame of mind.

  3. give someone a piece of one's mind, Informal. to rebuke, reprimand, or scold sharply: I'll give him a piece of my mind for telling such a lie!

  4. have a good mind to, to feel tempted or inclined to: I have a good mind to leave you here all alone.

  5. have half a mind to, to be almost decided to; be inclined to.

  6. know one's own mind, to be firm in one's intentions, opinions, or plans; have assurance: She may be only a child, but she knows her own mind.

  7. make up one's mind, to decide; form an opinion or decision; resolve: He couldn't make up his mind which course to follow.

  8. meeting of minds, complete agreement; accord: A meeting of minds between the union and the employer seemed impossible.

  9. never mind, don't worry or be troubled; it is of no concern: Never mind—the broken glass will be easy to replace.

  10. on one's mind, constantly in one's thoughts; of concern to one: The approaching trial was on his mind.

  11. out of one's mind,

    • mad; insane: You must be out of your mind to say such a ridiculous thing.

    • totally distracted: He's out of his mind with worry.

    • emotionally overwhelmed: out of her mind with joy.

  12. presence of mind, ability to think and to remain in control of oneself during a crisis or under stress: She had enough presence of mind to remember the license plate of the speeding car.

  13. state of mind. See entry at state of mind.

Origin of mind

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun minde, miende, mende, Old English gemynd “memory, remembrance, mind”; cognate with Gothic gamunds; akin to Latin mēns (stem ment- ) “mind,” Greek manía “madness”; verb derivative of the noun

synonym study For mind

1. Mind, intellect, intelligence refer to mental equipment or qualities. Mind is that part of a human being that thinks, feels, and wills, as contrasted with body: His mind was capable of grasping the significance of the problem. Intellect is reasoning power as distinguished from feeling; it is often used in a general sense to characterize high mental ability: to appeal to the intellect, rather than the emotions. Intelligence is ability to learn and to understand; it is also mental alertness or quickness of understanding: A dog has more intelligence than many other animals. 6. Mind, brain, brains may refer to mental capacity. Mind is the philosophical and general term for the center of mental activity, and is therefore used of intellectual powers: a brilliant mind. Brain is properly the physiological term for the organic structure that makes mental activity possible ( The brain is the center of the nervous system. ), but it is often applied, like mind, to intellectual capacity: a fertile brain. Brains is the anatomical word ( the brains of an animal used for food ), but, in popular usage, it is applied to intelligence (particularly of a shrewd, practical nature): To run a business takes brains.

Other words for mind

Other words from mind

  • sub·mind, noun
  • un·mind·ing, adjective

Words Nearby mind

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mind in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mind

mind

/ (maɪnd) /

noun

  1. the human faculty to which are ascribed thought, feeling, etc; often regarded as an immaterial part of a person

  2. intelligence or the intellect, esp as opposed to feelings or wishes

  1. recollection or remembrance; memory: it comes to mind

  2. the faculty of original or creative thought; imagination: it's all in the mind

  3. a person considered as an intellectual being: the great minds of the past

  4. opinion or sentiment: we are of the same mind; to change one's mind; to have a mind of one's own; to know one's mind; to speak one's mind

  5. condition, state, or manner of feeling or thought: no peace of mind; his state of mind

  6. an inclination, desire, or purpose: I have a mind to go

  7. attention or thoughts: keep your mind on your work

  8. a sound mental state; sanity (esp in the phrase out of one's mind)

  9. intelligence, as opposed to material things: the mind of the universe

  10. (in Cartesian philosophy) one of two basic modes of existence, the other being matter

  11. blow someone's mind slang

    • to cause someone to have a psychedelic experience

    • to astound or surprise someone

  12. give someone a piece of one's mind to criticize or censure (someone) frankly or vehemently

  13. in two minds or of two minds undecided; wavering: he was in two minds about marriage

  14. make up one's mind to decide (something or to do something): he made up his mind to go

  15. on one's mind in one's thoughts

  16. put one in mind of to remind (one) of

verb

  1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to take offence at: do you mind if I smoke? I don't mind

  2. to pay attention to (something); heed; notice: to mind one's own business

  1. (tr; takes a clause as object) to make certain; ensure: mind you tell her

  2. (tr) to take care of; have charge of: to mind the shop

  3. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to be cautious or careful about (something): mind how you go; mind your step

  4. (tr) to obey (someone or something); heed: mind your father!

  5. to be concerned (about); be troubled (about): never mind your hat; never mind about your hat; never mind

  6. (tr; passive; takes an infinitive) to be intending or inclined (to do something): clearly he was not minded to finish the story

  7. (tr) Scot and English dialect to remember: do ye mind his name?

  8. (tr) Scot to remind: that minds me of another story

  9. mind you an expression qualifying a previous statement: Dogs are nice. Mind you, I don't like all dogs Related adjectives: mental, noetic, phrenic

Origin of mind

1
Old English gemynd mind; related to Old High German gimunt memory

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with mind

mind

In addition to the idioms beginning with mind

  • mind like a steel trap, have a
  • mind of one's own, have a
  • mind one's own business
  • mind one's p's and q's
  • mind over matter
  • mind the store

also see:

  • back of one's mind
  • bear in mind
  • blow one's mind
  • boggle the mind
  • bring to mind
  • call to mind
  • change one's mind
  • come to mind
  • cross one's mind
  • frame of mind
  • go out of one's mind
  • great minds
  • half a mind
  • have a good mind to
  • in one's mind's eye
  • in one's right mind
  • know one's own mind
  • load off one's mind
  • lose one's mind
  • make up one's mind
  • meeting of the minds
  • never mind
  • of two minds
  • one-track mind
  • on one's mind
  • open mind
  • out of sight (out of mind)
  • piece of one's mind
  • presence of mind
  • prey on (one's mind)
  • put one in mind of
  • read someone's mind
  • set one's mind at rest
  • slip one's mind
  • speak one's mind
  • to my mind

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Browse

  • #
  • aa
  • bb
  • cc
  • dd
  • ee
  • ff
  • gg
  • hh
  • ii
  • jj
  • kk
  • ll
  • mm
  • nn
  • oo
  • pp
  • qq
  • rr
  • ss
  • tt
  • uu
  • vv
  • ww
  • xx
  • yy
  • zz