idea */*/*/

UK [aɪˈdɪə] / US [aɪˈdɪə] noun
Word forms "idea":
singular idea plural ideas

Metaphor:

An idea or theory is like a building or structure. Developing an idea is like building something, and destroying an idea is like destroying a building. Their ideas were based/built on many years of practical experience. ♦ It was a carefully constructed theory. ♦ Your accusations are without foundation. ♦ It proved to be a groundbreaking new idea. ♦ It gave us a suitable frame of reference. ♦ This helped buttress/underpin his arguments. ♦ She completely demolished his argument. ♦ The theory collapsed/fell apart after he produced new data. ♦ This will help us explode widespread myths about retirement. An idea is also like a plant. Developing an idea is like helping a plant to grow. The idea grew in her mind until she could think of nothing else. ♦ I had already planted the idea in their minds. ♦ I had sown the seeds of doubt. ♦ The idea germinated slowly in his mind. ♦ This belief quickly took root. ♦ These beliefs are deep-rooted. ♦ What does this idea stem from? ♦ She has a fertile imagination. ♦ It was a fruitful line of research. ♦ The work shows evidence of cross-fertilization from many disciplines. ➡ achieve, argument, mind

1) [countable] a thought that you have about how to do something or how to deal with something

What a brilliant idea!

have an idea:

Then I had an idea: we could stay with Mark.

idea for:

an idea for a new TV show

get an idea for something:

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

get the idea to do something:

How did you get the idea to remove the window from the outside?

have/get the idea of doing something:

Then she got the idea of sending the poems to a publisher.

a) [often plural] an opinion or belief

idea about/on something:

I don't agree with his ideas about education.

Her ideas on the subject were not ones I shared.

have an idea:

She has some pretty strange ideas about how to bring up children.

b) how you imagine something to be

idea of:

We didn't have a clear idea of what to expect from the training course.

Standing in the rain for two hours was not my idea of fun.

be my idea of heaven/paradise/bliss (= something that is extremely enjoyable):

Lying by the pool with a good book is my idea of heaven.

•

Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with idea
▪  bad, bright, brilliant, clear, excellent, good, strange, vague

2) [singular/uncountable] information or knowledge that you have about something

idea of:

I had only a basic idea of how the machine worked.

have no idea (= not know at all):

They had no idea what time they were supposed to arrive.

not have the slightest/faintest/foggiest/remotest idea (= not know at all):

He didn't have the slightest idea of how she really felt.

3) [countable/uncountable] a purpose or intention

idea behind/of:

What's the idea behind these proposals?

the idea is to do something:

The idea is to make more people rich.

have other ideas (= have a different intention):

My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but I had other ideas.

with the idea of doing something:

He had arrived at the school with the idea of starting a band.

4) [countable] a principle

The policy is based on the idea that some industries need to be protected from market forces.

idea of:

I'm a great believer in the idea of democracy.

•

where did you get that idea? — spoken used for telling someone that what they think is definitely not true

Where did he ever get the idea that I was in love with him?

- get the idea

- get ideas

- get the wrong idea

- have an idea

- have the right idea

- it's a good idea to do something

- put ideas into someone's head

- that's an idea

- that's the idea

- you have no idea