state of mind
Americanidiom
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a person’s mental or emotional condition, especially at a given point in time.
Subtle touches like scratched-out mistakes and underlined words can give us insight into the author’s state of mind while she was writing.
The state of mind or mental stability of the defendant also needs to be taken into consideration.
-
a general outlook on life, the world, the future, etc..
Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind.
Marriage is a state of mind and a way of life.
Etymology
Origin of state of mind
First recorded in 1630–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If you’re still in a “Happy New Year” state of mind, you’re probably not alone, even if there’s debate about how far into January you can offer such a salutation.
From MarketWatch
Legal experts say Reiner’s attorney, Alan Jackson, is likely now working to evaluate his client’s history of mental health and state of mind at the time of the crime.
From Los Angeles Times
But to be in that situation, I have no idea what AJ's state of mind will be.
From BBC
Can England players get themselves into the state of mind where they relish a tour of Australia, rather than talking it up as the hardest thing they will ever do?
From BBC
That says something about our collective state of mind.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
