state of mind
[ steytuhv mahynd ]
/ ˈsteɪt əv ˈmaɪnd /
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idiom
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.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of state of mind
First recorded in 1630–40
Words nearby state of mind
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use state of mind in a sentence
He had laid aside the old red hell-fire dogma for a new one of hell-as-a-state-of-mind.
In a Little Town|Rupert Hughes