mind
(mīnd) n. 1. The faculty of a human or other animal by which it thinks, perceives, feels, remembers, or desires: studying the relation between the brain and the mind.
2. A person of great mental ability: the great minds of the century.
3. Individual consciousness, memory, or recollection: I'll bear the problem in mind.
4. a. Opinion or sentiment: He changed his mind when he heard all the facts.
b. Desire or inclination: She had a mind to spend her vacation in the desert.
5. Focus of thought; attention: I can't keep my mind on work.
6. A healthy mental state; sanity: losing one's mind.
7. The thought processes characteristic of a person or group; psychological makeup: the criminal mind; the public mind.
8. Philosophy The phenomena of intelligence, cognition, or consciousness, regarded as a material or immaterial aspect of reality.
v. mind·ed, mind·ing, minds
v. tr. 1. To pay attention to: Mind closely what I tell you.
2. To be careful about: Mind the icy sidewalk!
3. To heed in order to obey: The children minded their babysitter.
4. To take care or charge of; look after:
We minded the children while their parents went out. See Synonyms at
tend2. 5. a. To be concerned or annoyed by; care: They don't mind that their guests are arriving late.
b. To object to; dislike: I don't mind doing the chores when I don't feel rushed.
6. Regional To bring (an object or idea) to mind; remember.
7. a. To become aware of; notice.
b. Upper Southern US To have in mind as a goal or purpose; intend.
v. intr. 1. To take notice; give heed: The back door tends to slam in the wind, mind.
2. To behave obediently: I don't want to go shopping if the children won't mind.
3. To be concerned or troubled; care: "Not minding about bad food has become a national obsession" (Times Literary Supplement).
4. To be cautious or careful: You'll slip on the ice if you don't mind.
Idioms: a mind of (one's) own A capacity or inclination to think or act independently: a reporter with a mind of her own.
a mind of its own A tendency to be unresponsive to human will: The car had a mind of its own and seemed to start only when it felt like it.
be of one mind To be in agreement about something.
be of two minds To have mixed feelings or be undecided about something.
bring (or
call) to mind1. To remember (something): tried to bring to mind their happy times together.
2. To cause (something) to be remembered or thought of; evoke: "[The county's] flight from creditors brings to mind a restaurant diner who declines to pay for a meal because he overate" (Roger Lowenstein). "a voice that calls to mind a flower wavering in the breeze" (Neil Strauss).
never mind Used to tell someone not to be concerned or worried.
[Middle English minde, from Old English gemynd; see men-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
mind′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mind
(maɪnd) n1. (Psychology) the human faculty to which are ascribed thought, feeling, etc; often regarded as an immaterial part of a person
2. (Psychology) intelligence or the intellect, esp as opposed to feelings or wishes
3. recollection or remembrance; memory: it comes to mind.
4. the faculty of original or creative thought; imagination: it's all in the mind.
5. a person considered as an intellectual being: the great minds of the past.
6. 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.
7. condition, state, or manner of feeling or thought: no peace of mind; his state of mind.
8. an inclination, desire, or purpose: I have a mind to go.
9. attention or thoughts: keep your mind on your work.
10. a sound mental state; sanity (esp in the phrase out of one's mind)
11. intelligence, as opposed to material things: the mind of the universe.
12. (Philosophy) (in Cartesian philosophy) one of two basic modes of existence, the other being matter
13. blow someone's mind slang a. to cause someone to have a psychedelic experience
b. to astound or surprise someone
14. (Recreational Drugs) to cause someone to have a psychedelic experience
15. to astound or surprise someone
16. give someone a piece of one's mind to criticize or censure (someone) frankly or vehemently
17. in two minds of two minds undecided; wavering: he was in two minds about marriage.
18. make up one's mind to decide (something or to do something): he made up his mind to go.
19. on one's mind in one's thoughts
20. put one in mind of to remind (one) of
vb21. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to take offence at: do you mind if I smoke? I don't mind.
22. to pay attention to (something); heed; notice: to mind one's own business.
23. (tr; takes a clause as object) to make certain; ensure: mind you tell her.
24. (tr) to take care of; have charge of: to mind the shop.
25. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to be cautious or careful about (something): mind how you go; mind your step.
26. (tr) to obey (someone or something); heed: mind your father!.
27. to be concerned (about); be troubled (about): never mind your hat; never mind about your hat; never mind.
28. (tr; passive; takes an infinitive) to be intending or inclined (to do something): clearly he was not minded to finish the story.
29. (tr) dialect Scot and English to remember: do ye mind his name?.
30. (tr) Scot to remind: that minds me of another story.
31. mind you an expression qualifying a previous statement: Dogs are nice. Mind you, I don't like all dogs.
[Old English gemynd mind; related to Old High German gimunt memory]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mind
(maɪnd)
n. 1. the element, part, or process in a human or other conscious being that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges, etc.
2. Psychol. the totality of conscious and unconscious mental processes and activities.
3. intellect or understanding, esp. as distinguished from the emotions and will; intelligence.
4. a person considered with reference to intellectual power: the great minds of the day.
5. intellectual power or ability.
6. reason, sanity, or sound mental condition: to lose one's mind.
7. a way of thinking and feeling; disposition; temper: a liberal mind.
8. opinion, view, or sentiments: to change one's mind.
9. inclination, intention, or desire: to be of a mind to listen.
10. remembrance or recollection; memory: to call to mind; The party put me in mind of my college days.
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. attention; thoughts: He can't keep his mind on his studies.
14. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. notice; attention: When he's like that, just pay him no mind.
15. Rom. Cath. Ch. a commemoration of a person's death, esp. by a Requiem Mass.
16. (cap.) Christian Science. God; the incorporeal source of life, substance, and intelligence.
v.t. 17. to pay attention to.
18. to heed or obey (a person, advice, instructions, etc.).
19. to attend to: to mind one's own business.
20. to look after; tend: to mind the baby.
21. to be careful, cautious, or wary about: Mind what you say.
22. to feel concern at; care about.
23. to feel disturbed or inconvenienced by; object to: I hope you don't mind the interruption.
24. to regard as concerning oneself or as mattering: Don't mind his bluntness.
25. Dial. a. to perceive or notice.
b. to remember.
c. to remind.
v.i. 26. to pay attention.
27. to obey.
28. to take notice, observe, or understand (used chiefly in the imperative): Mind now, I want you home by twelve.
29. to be careful or wary.
30. to care, feel concern, or object (often used in negative or interrogative constructions): Mind if I go?
31. to regard a thing as concerning oneself or as mattering: You mustn't mind about their gossiping.
Idioms: 1. back of one's mind, one's memory or recollection.
2. be of one mind, to share an intent or opinion.
3. be of two minds, to be ambivalent.
4. out of one's mind, a. insane; mad.
b. emotionally overwhelmed; frantic: out of my mind with worry.
[before 900; Middle English mynd(e), aph. variant of imynd, Old English gemynd memory, mind, c. Old High German gimunt recollection, Gothic gamunds memory]
syn: mind,
intellect,
brain refer to that part of a conscious being that thinks, feels, wills, perceives, or judges.
mind is a philosophical, psychological, and general term for the center of all mental activity, as contrasted with the body and the spirit:
His mind grasped the complex issue. intellect refers to reasoning power, as distinguished from the faculties of feeling:
a book that appeals to the intellect, rather than the emotions. brain is a physiological term for the organic structure that makes mental activity possible, but is often applied to mental ability or capacity:
a fertile brain. These words may also refer to a person of great mental ability or capacity:
a great mind of our age; a fine scholar and intellect; the brain in the family. Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
mind
Mind can be a noun or a verb.
1. used as a nounYour mind is your ability to think.
Psychology is the study of the human mind.
I did a crossword puzzle to occupy my mind.
2. 'make up one's mind'If you make up your mind, you make a decision. If you make up your mind to do something, you decide to do it.
I couldn't make up my mind whether to stay or go.
She made up her mind to look for a new job.
Be Careful!
You use a to-infinitive after this expression. Don't say, for example 'She made up her mind looking for a new job'.
3. used as a verbIf you have no objection to doing something, you can say that you don't mind doing it.
I don't mind walking.
Be Careful!
You use an -ing form with this expression. Don't say, for example, 'I don't mind to walk'.
If you do not object to a situation or proposal, or if you do not prefer any particular option, you can say 'I don't mind'.
It was raining, but we didn't mind.
'Would you rather go out or stay in?' 'I don't mind.'
Be Careful!
Don't say 'I don't mind it' with this meaning.
If you want to politely ask someone to do something, you can use Would you mind followed by an -ing form.
Would you mind turning your music down a little?
He asked us if we would mind waiting outside.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012