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mind

Syllabification: (mind)
Pronunciation: /mīnd/

Translate mind | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of mind

noun

  • 1the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought:as the thoughts ran through his mind, he came to a conclusion people have the price they are prepared to pay settled in their minds
  • a person’s mental processes contrasted with physical action:I wrote a letter in my mind
  • 2a person’s intellect:his keen mind
  • a person’s memory:the company’s name slips my mind
  • a person identified with their intellectual faculties:he was one of the greatest minds of his time
  • 3a person’s attention:I expect my employees to keep their minds on the job
  • the will or determination to achieve something:anyone can lose weight if they set their mind to it

verb

[with object]
  • 1 [often with negative] be distressed, annoyed, or worried by:I don’t mind the rain
  • have an objection to:what does that mean, if you don’t mind my asking? [with clause]:do you mind if I have a cigarette?
  • [with negative or in questions] (mind doing something) be reluctant to do something (often used in polite requests):I don’t mind admitting I was worried
  • (would not mind something) informal used to express one’s strong enthusiasm for something:I wouldn’t mind some coaching from him!
  • 2regard as important; feel concern about:never mind the opinion polls [no object]:why should she mind about a few snubs from people she didn’t care for?
  • [with clausein imperative] dated used to urge someone to remember or take care to bring about something:mind you look after the children
  • [no object] (also mind you) used to introduce a qualification to a previous statement:we’ve got some decorations up—not a lot, mind you
  • [no object] informal used to make a command more insistent or to draw attention to a statement:be early to bed tonight, mind
  • be obedient to:you think about how much Cal does for you, and you mind her, you hear?
  • Scottish remember:I mind the time when he lost his false teeth
  • 3take care of temporarily:we left our husbands to mind the children while we went out
  • [in imperative] used to warn someone to avoid injury or damage from a hazard:mind your head on that cupboard!
  • [in imperative] be careful about the quality or nature of:mind your manners!
  • 4 [with infinitive] (be minded) chiefly formal be inclined or disposed to do a particular thing:he was minded to reject the application the Board was given leave to object if it was so minded

Phrases

be of two minds

be unable to decide between alternatives.

be of one (or a different) mind

share the same (or hold a different) opinion.

bear (or keep) in mind

remember and take into account: [with clause]:you need to bear in mind that the figures vary from place to place

close one's mind to

refuse to consider or acknowledge.

come (or spring) to mind

(of a thought or idea) occur to someone.

don't mind if I do

informal used to accept an invitation.

give someone a piece of one's mind

tell someone what one thinks of them, especially in anger.

have a (or a good or half a) mind to do something

be very much inclined to do something:I’ve a good mind to write to the manager to complain

have someone or something in mind

be thinking of.
intend:I had it in mind to ask you to work for me

have a mind of one's own

be capable of independent opinion or action.
(of an inanimate object) seem capable of thought and intention, especially by behaving contrary to the will of the person using it:the shopping cart had a mind of its own

in one's mind's eye

in one’s imagination or mental view.

mind over matter

the use of willpower to overcome physical problems.

mind one's own business

refrain from prying or interfering.

mind one's Ps & Qs

be careful to behave well and avoid giving offense.
[of unknown origin; said by some to refer to the care a young student must take in differentiating the tailed letters p and q]

mind the store

informal have charge of something temporarily.

never mind

  • 1used to urge someone not to feel anxiety or distress:never mind—it’s all right now
  • used to suggest that a problem or objection is not important:that’s getting off the subject, but never mind
  • 2 (also never you mind) used in refusing to answer a question:never mind where I’m going
  • 3used to indicate that what has been said of one thing applies even more to another:he was so tired that he found it hard to think, never mind talk

not pay someone any mind

not pay someone any attention.

on someone's mind

preoccupying someone, especially in a disquieting way:new parents have many worries on their minds

an open mind

the readiness to consider something without prejudice.

open one's mind to

be receptive to:he opened his mind to the ways of the rest of the world

out of one's mind

having lost control of one’s mental faculties.
informal suffering from a particular condition to a very high degree:she was bored out of her mind

put someone in mind of

resemble and so cause someone to think of or remember:he was a small, well-dressed man who put her in mind of a jockey

put (or set) one's mind to

direct all one’s attention to (achieving something):she’d have made an excellent dancer, if she’d have put her mind to it

put someone/something out of one's mind

deliberately forget someone or something.

to my mind

in my opinion:this story is, to my mind, a masterpiece

Origin:

Old English gemynd 'memory, thought,' of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root meaning 'revolve in the mind, think', shared by Sanskrit manas and Latin mens 'mind'

mind in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of mind in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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