From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdreamdream1 /driːm/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1 while sleepingDREAM a series of thoughts, images, and feelings that you experience when you are asleep → daydream I had lots of dreams last night.dream about a dream about drowningin a dream In my dream I flew to a forest of enormous trees.2 wishHOPE a wish to do, be, or have something – used especially when this seems unlikely Her dream is to make a movie.dream of (doing) something She had dreams of university.fulfil/realize a dream I fulfilled a childhood dream when I became champion. I have just met the man of my dreams (=the perfect man)!beyond your wildest dreams (=better than anything you imagined or hoped for)3 → dream house/home/job etc4 → in a dream5 → be a dream come true6 → like a dream7 → be/live in a dream world8 → be a dream9 → in your dreamsCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a series of thoughts, images, and feelings that you experience when you are asleepverbshave a dreamI had a dream about you last night.adjectivesa bad dream (=unpleasant or frightening)The movie gave the kids bad dreams.a strange/weird dreamSometimes I have a strange dream in which I try to speak but I can’t.a vivid dream (=very clear)In a vivid dream he saw a huge coloured bird flying above his head.a recurrent/recurring dream (=that you have many times)Having recurrent dreams is a very common experience.phrasesbe/seem like a dream (=seem unreal)That summer was so wonderful it seemed like a dream.Sweet dreams! (=said to someone who is going to bed)Good night, Sam! Sweet dreams! THESAURUSwhen you are sleepingdream the thoughts, images, and feelings that go through your mind while you are asleepI had a strange dream last night -- you and I were in some sort of forest.nightmare a very unpleasant and frightening dreamShe still has terrible nightmares about the accident.daydream a series of pleasant thoughts that go through your mind when you are awake, so that you do not notice what is happening around youNeil was in a daydream, and didn’t hear the teacher call his name.reverie formal a state of imagining or thinking about pleasant things, that is like dreamingThe doorbell rang, shaking her from her reverie.something that you want to dodream something very special that you want to do and that you think about a lot, especially something that is not very likely to happenAs a teenager, his dream was to become a professional footballer.ambition something that you want to achieve and that you work hard to achieve, especially in your workMy ambition had always been to start my own business.aspirations the important things that people want from their lives – used especially about the things a society or a large group of people wantsIt’s important that young people think seriously about their career aspirations.fantasy something exciting that you imagine happening to you, which is extremely unlikely to happen and often involves sexschoolboy fantasiespipe dream a dream that is impossible or is extremely unlikely to happenIs world peace no more than a pipe dream? COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a wish to do, be, or have something – used especially when this seems unlikelyverbshave a dream/dreamsI had dreams of becoming a doctor.achieve/fulfil/realize a dream (=do or get what you want)He had finally achieved his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.pursue/follow a dream (=try to do or get what you want)She left her home town to pursue her dreams.dream a dream literary (=have a wish)We can dream great dreams for ourselves and others.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + dream big/great dreams (=a wish to achieve great things)She was a little girl with big dreams.an impossible dream (=about something that cannot happen)Having a number one record had seemed an impossible dream.a childhood dream (=that you had when you were a child)I had a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut.a lifelong dream (=that you have had all your life)His lifelong dream had been to write a novel.a distant dream (=that it will take a long time to achieve)Peace in this area may still be a distant dream.phrasesa dream comes true (=something you want happens)I’d always wanted to go to Africa and at last my dream came true.the man/woman/house etc of your dreams (=the perfect one for you)We can help you find the house of your dreams.not/never in your wildest dreams (=used to say that you had never expected something to happen)Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would win the competition.beyond your wildest dreams (=better or more than you ever hoped for)Suddenly he was wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.
Examples from the Corpus
dream• Dreaming dreams, hoping for magic.• When she woke, she found that it was all a dream.• Ben seemed lost in a dream.• The events of the past few days seemed like a bad dream.• The subconscious does not distinguish between desires and fears, between dreams and nightmares.• Last year her dream came true and she was offered a chance to study in America.• Her dream was to go to Hollywood and become a movie star.• After the accident, Clarke had to give up his dream of becoming a racing driver.• His dream came to him in flashes.• She, herself, Nicie, into dreams, fantasies.• Your wife and me-no more dreams.• You and Bobby were in my dream last night.• None of my dream are about work.• I never remember my dreams when I wake up.• She had no dreams for me, so I created my own.• Towards morning, Peter dreamed the old dream for the first time in months if not years.• When I was younger, I had recurring dreams in which I was constantly pursued by soldiers.• Alfonso's dream was to be a professional ball player.• I had a strange dream last night -- you and I were in some sort of tropical forest.• Now they must try to put their dreams back together again.dream about• I dreamt about her last night.dream of (doing) something• Right in the middle of the action, where he has always dreamed of being but never quite reached.• Painting on wall or canvas as dream of plenitude, painting on glass as revelation of potential in poverty.• Nothing he had foreseen, nothing he had dreamed of could have bodied forth the shape and taste of this existence.• But she had dreamed of it endlessly in those days when she had adored him.• The truth of his life is that Prefontaine died before achieving his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.• Even then Dean was at a point most players would never dream of reaching.• Tolstoy said that hopes are the dreams of the waking man.• But they are deliberately vague because there are great problems with the dream of a tax form that fits on to a postcard.dreamdream2 ●●● S3 W3 verb (past tense and past participle dreamed or dreamt /dremt/) 1 THINK ABOUTwish [intransitive, transitive] to think about something that you would like to happen or havedream of/about (doing) something She dreamed of becoming a chef. He’s got the sort of money that you and I can only dream about.dream (that) She dreamed that one day she would be famous.GrammarYou dream of doing something: I’ve always dreamed of being an artist. ✗Don’t say: I’ve always dreamed to be an artist. 2 while sleeping [intransitive, transitive]DREAM to have a dream while you are asleepdream about I dreamt about you last night.dream (that) It’s quite common to dream that you’re falling.3 not pay attention [intransitive] to think about something else and not give your attention to what is happening around you SYN daydream She had been dreaming and had not followed the conversation.4 imagine [intransitive, transitive]IMAGINE to imagine that you have done, seen, or heard something that you have not I was sure I posted the letter but I must have dreamt it.5 → never dreamed (that)6 → wouldn’t dream of (doing) something7 → who would have dreamt that ...? → dream something ↔ away → dream on → dream something ↔ up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
dream• Do animals dream?• I hoped that someone would wake me up, that I had only been dreaming.• The Rockets can close their eyes and dream about tasting dessert before they've earned it.• I dreamt about you last night.• Even now we're married I look at her and she's like a girl that you might dream about.• Going abroad for a holiday was something our grandparents could only dream about.• Most of the students were dreaming during the lecture.• He was dreaming; maybe it was the way he would dream for the rest of his short life.• Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.• I was sure I mailed the letter yesterday, but I must have dreamed it.• When I was at college I dreamed of becoming a great novelist.• Stephanie often dreams of long sea journeys.• I would not dream of toying with you.• Some thought it was the breakthrough scientists had dreamed of.• I dreamed that I was lying on a beach in the Caribbean.• Maura had never dreamt that she could feel like this.• And she had not been half asleep and dreaming this time.• Paradoxically, while dreaming we are without imagination and we are not aware that we are dreaming.dream (that)• My feet had warmed up, so I had slept more soundly, without dreaming.• Others seek but do not find the true love of their dreams.• I dream at night beside the wedge-shaped tower, a glass axe buried in the earth.• Her deprivation had been not having any dreams of her own at all.• But this day is something I've dreamed of since I was a kid and I just want to enjoy it.• We would never have dreamed of this kind of freedom.• I turned over, got my dreams out of my bag and started flicking through them.• When young, he had been visited constantly by dreams that he could not interpret.• I often dream that I'm falling.• King dreamt that white and black people would join together as equals.dream (that)• My feet had warmed up, so I had slept more soundly, without dreaming.• Others seek but do not find the true love of their dreams.• I dream at night beside the wedge-shaped tower, a glass axe buried in the earth.• Her deprivation had been not having any dreams of her own at all.• But this day is something I've dreamed of since I was a kid and I just want to enjoy it.• We would never have dreamed of this kind of freedom.• I turned over, got my dreams out of my bag and started flicking through them.• When young, he had been visited constantly by dreams that he could not interpret.Origin dream1 Old English dream “noise, great happiness” 