mind

The capability for rational thought.

Noun

The capability for rational thought.
- Despite advancing age, his mind was still as sharp as ever.
- And ſure, although it was invented to eaſe his mynde of griefe, there be a number of caveats therein to forewarne other young gentlemen to foreſtand with good government their folowing yl fortunes; […] - 1576, George...
- “[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to...
Synonyms: brain head intellect intelligence nous psyche reason wit brains cleverness brightness esprit mind smartness smarts judgment
The ability to be aware of things.
- There was no doubt in his mind that they would win.
Synonyms: awareness consciousness sentience
The ability to remember things.
- My mind just went blank.
Synonyms: memory recollection mind recall remembrance reminiscence
The ability to focus the thoughts.
- I can’t keep my mind on what I’m doing.
Synonyms: attention concentration focus
Somebody that embodies certain mental qualities.
- He was one of history’s greatest minds.
- I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, […] - 1956, Allen Ginsberg, “Howl”, in Howl and Other Poems (Pocket Poets Series), City Lights Books, →OCLC, page 9:
- That's far from the promised land set out in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, that the railways would have a guiding mind that would be in control of the industry's finances. Businesses have what is called a profit...
Synonyms: genius intellectual thinker brain brain surgeon brainbox brainiac deep thinker Einstein egghead mind rocket scientist superbrain
Judgment, opinion, or view.
- He changed his mind after hearing the speech.
Synonyms: judgment judgement idea opinion view award censure choice conclusion decision deduction determination ergotism illation inference judgement/judgment mind result sight take verdict
Desire, inclination, or intention.
- She had a mind to go to Paris.
- I have half a mind to do it myself.
- I am of a mind to listen.
Synonyms: desire disposition idea inclination intention mood ambition appetite appetition aspiration avidity cacoethes concupiscence craving cupidity dream fondness hankering hope hunger keenness longing lust mind
A healthy mental state.
- I, ______ being of sound mind and body, do hereby[…]
- You are losing your mind.
Synonyms: lucidity sanity buttons lucidness marbles mind saneness
The non-material substance or set of processes in which consciousness, perception, affectivity, judgement, thinking, and will are based.
- The nature of the mind is a major topic in philosophy.
- Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it. - 1699, William Temple, Heads designed for...
- The mind is that part of our being which thinks and wills, remembers and reasons; we know nothing of it except from these functions. - 1854, Samuel Knaggs, Unsoundness of Mind Considered in Relation to the Question of...
Synonyms: cognition learning
Continual prayer on a dead person's behalf for a period after their death.
- a month's [or monthly] mind; a year's mind
Attention, consideration or thought.
- They are the “tars” who give mind to the spreading sail, and their bold courage is the pabulum which will preserve our sea-girt isle in its vernal green to furthest posterity. - 1849, Eliza Cook, Eliza Cook’s...
- Then he, having mind of Beelzebub, the god of flies, fled without a halt homewards; but, falling in the coo's loan, broke two ribs and a collar bone, the whilk misfortune was much blessed to his soul. - 1902, John...
- If you get a “trolling” comment, delete it, do not respond to it, and move forward immediately without paying any further mind. - 2014, Jolie O'Dell, Blogging for Photographers, page 66:
Synonyms: heed mark notice advertence advertency attention consideration heedfulness mind note observance observation reflection regard

Origin

From Middle English minde, munde, imynde, imunde, ȝemynde, ȝemunde, from Old English mynd, ġemynd (“mind, memory”), from Proto-West Germanic *mundi, *gamundi, from Proto-Germanic *mundiz, *gamundiz (“memory, remembrance”), from Proto-Indo-European *méntis (“thought”) (compare also mantis, via Greek), from the root *men- (“to think”). Cognate with Old High German gimunt ("mind, memory, remembrance"; Middle High German munst (“love, benevolence, joy”)), Old Norse mynd (“image, model”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍃 (gamunds, “remembrance, memory, mind”). Related also to Danish minde (“memory”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish minne (“memory”), Faroese and Icelandic minni (“memory, recall, recollection”), Latin mēns (“mind, reason”), Sanskrit मनस् (mánas), Ancient Greek μένος (ménos), Albanian mënd (“mind, reason”). Related to mantra. Compare also Old English myntan (“to mean, intend,...

Forms

minds

Derived

absence of mind absent-minded a contented mind is a perpetual feast aftermind a healthy body is a healthy mind amind a mind is a terrible thing to waste back of one's mind badmind bad mind bear in mind bemind beminded be of one mind bicameral mind big mind blow someone's mind bodymind bored out of one's mind breadth of mind bring to mind call to mind cast one's mind back change of mind

Verb

To bring or recall to mind; to remember; bear or keep in mind.
- Mind to-morrow's early meeting! - 1878, Robert Browning, La Saisiaz, line 70:
To remember.
- The land where I shall mind you not / Is the land where all's forgot. - 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, XXXVII, lines 25-26
To remind; put one's mind on.
- Farewell, kind lord; fight valiantly to-day: / And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it, / For thou art framed of the firm truth of valour. - 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in...
- Let me be punished, that have minded you Of what you should forget. - c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio),...
- 1684-1690, Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth I desire to mind those persons of what Saint Austin hath said.
To turn one's mind to; to observe; to notice.
- Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me / For bringing wood in slowly. I'll fall flat; / Perchance he will not mind me. - 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares...
To regard with attention; to treat as of consequence.
- Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […],...
- It's the worst thing that can ever happen to you in all your life, and you've got to mind it—you've got to mind it. They'll come saying, 'Bear up—trust to time.' No, no; they're wrong. Mind it. - 1907 E.M. Forster, The...
To pay attention or heed to so as to obey; hence to obey; to make sure, to take care (that).
- Mind you don't knock that glass over.
To pay attention to, in the sense of occupying one's mind with, to heed.
- You should mind your own business.
- My lord, you nod: you do not mind the play. - c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […]...
- Upon my coming down, I found all the Children of the Family got about my old Friend, and my Landlady herself, who is a notable prating Gossip, engaged in a Conference with him; being mightily pleased with his stroaking...
To look after, to take care of, especially for a short period of time.
- Would you mind my bag for me?
To be careful about.
- Bank Underground Station, London, is built on a curve, leaving a potentially dangerous gap between platform and carriage to trap the unwary. The loudspeaker voice instructs passengers to "Mind the gap": the boundary...
To purpose, intend, plan.
- I mind to tell him plainly what I think. - c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio),...
- […]and if ever I refused to do his bidding or loitered or took my leisure he beat me with his feet more grievously than if I had been beaten with whips. He ceased not to signal with his hand wherever he was minded to...
Take note; used to point out an exception or caveat.
- I'm not very healthy. I do eat fruit sometimes, mind.
To dislike, to object to; to be bothered by.
- I wouldn't mind an ice cream right now.
- Do you mind if I smoke?

mind

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