i·mag·i·na·tion ( -m j  -n  shn)n. 1. a. The formation of a mental image of something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses. b. The mental image so formed. c. The ability or tendency to form such images. 2. The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness: handled the problems with great imagination. 3. A traditional or widely held belief or opinion. 4. Archaic a. An unrealistic idea or notion; a fancy. b. A plan or scheme. i·mag i·nation·al adj.Synonyms: imagination, fancy, fantasy These nouns refer to the power of the mind to form images, especially of what is not present to the senses. Imagination is the most broadly applicable: "In the world of words, the imagination is one of the forces of nature" (Wallace Stevens). Fancy especially suggests mental invention that is whimsical, capricious, or playful and that is characteristically well removed from reality: "All power of fancy over reason is a degree of insanity" (Samuel Johnson). Fantasy is applied principally to elaborate or extravagant fancy as a product of the imagination given free rein: "The poet is in command of his fantasy, while it is exactly the mark of the neurotic that he is possessed by his fantasy" (Lionel Trilling). |
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