Word family noun thought thoughtfulness ≠ thoughtlessness adjective thoughtful ≠ thoughtless adverb thoughtfully ≠ thoughtlessly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthoughtthought1 /θɔːt $ θɒːt/ x-refthe past tense and past participle of think1thoughtthought2 ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 something you think about [countable]IDEA something that you think of, remember, or realize SYN idea It’s an interesting thought. The thought that I might not have a job next year is a bit troubling.► see thesaurus at idea2 → thoughts3 careful consideration [uncountable]THINK ABOUT careful and serious consideration With more thought and care this would have been a first-class essay.give something thought/give thought to something (=think carefully about something) I’ve been giving your proposal a lot of thought. Have you given any more thought to going back to school?4 act of thinking [uncountable]THINK something/HAVE A THOUGHT the act or process of thinkinglost/deep in thought (=thinking so much that you do not notice what is happening around you) Derek was staring out of the window, lost in thought. Piaget’s research focused on children’s thought processes (=the way their minds work).5 caring about something [countable, uncountable]LOOK AFTER somebody a feeling of worrying or caring about somethingthought for He went back into the burning building with no thought for his own safety. Have you no thought for anyone but yourself? You are always in my thoughts (=used to tell someone that you think and care about them a lot).6 intention [countable, uncountable]INTEND intention or hope of doing somethingthought of doing something I had no thought of gaining any personal advantage. Lucy gave up all thought of finishing the essay that day. 7 way of thinking [uncountable]RPTHINK ABOUT a way of thinking that is typical of a particular group, period of history etcancient Greek/feminist/18th-century etc thought Kant’s ideas had a strong influence on political thought.8 → spare a thought for somebody9 → it’s just a thought10 → it’s/that’s a thought!11 → don’t give it another thought12 → it’s the thought that counts → perish the thought! at perish(3), → on second thoughts at second1(8), → school of thought at school1(8)COLLOCATIONSverbshave a thoughtI just had a funny thought.express your thoughts (=say what they are or tell other people about them)He was finding it difficult to express his thoughts.a thought occurs to/comes to/strikes somebody (=someone suddenly has a thought)The thought occurred to him that she might be lying.a thought crosses somebody’s mind (=someone has a thought)The thought never crossed my mind that I could be wrong.can’t bear the thought of somethingI can’t bear the thought of you being hurt.somebody’s thoughts turn to something (=they start thinking about something)As summer approaches, people’s thoughts turn to holidays.adjectivessomebody’s first thoughtMy first thought was that a bomb had gone off.a passing thought (=a quick, not very serious thought)He never gives his appearance more than a passing thought.a sobering thought (=one that makes you feel serious)We have the power to destroy the world, which is a sobering thought.horrible/disturbingA horrible thought struck her: could he be having an affair?a comforting thought‘People might not have noticed we’re late.’ ‘That’s a comforting thought.’a sudden thoughtA sudden thought struck her and she began to laugh.phrasesthe very thought (=even the idea of doing something)The very thought of going on stage made her feel ill. Examples from the Corpus
thought• I've just had a thought - it might be quicker to go by bus.• "That's not a very good time of year to travel." "Perhaps not. It was just a thought."• Michael never gave any thought to others.• If you have any thoughts on the matter, let me know.• ancient Greek thought• News of the crash dominated his thoughts.• Others are chipping in thoughts about the overall themes he should hit.• That's an interesting thought. Let's discuss it at the meeting.• Writing a good essay requires a lot of thought and effort.• It cancels out thought, and in consequence, any possibility of examining the root selfishness.• And the thought was a terror in her mind.• Their security of tenure is deemed essential for fruitful and unremitting thought.• I'd like you to begin by writing down your thoughts about the play.• Let your thoughts glow from within.The thought that• Am I alone in feeling threatened at the thought that audit is supervised by direct employees of the family health services authority?• I lacked the thoughts that precede speech.• It's very frightening, this - the thought that people actually know what's going on in your mind.• Across the country, anxious United Nations workers awoke to the thought that the long-awaited Khmer Rouge offensive had started.• It was the uncertainty, the thought that all my happiness could be smashed in the blink of an eye.• That was the thought that troubled him above all else, more than his many other cares.• Probably Susan consoled herself with the thought that she brought at least one good thing home: her baby.• If so, they can always comfort themselves with the thought that its establishment coincided with the beginnings of imperial decline.thought processes• Think about your normal thought processes.• Foveal and peripheral awareness Our senses, and our thought processes too, function through centres of energy.• Might not some essential aspects of quantum theory also be playing crucial roles in the physics that underlies our thought processes?• It is a moot point whether hierarchies exist outside our own thought processes.• Many people insist that most of their political knowledge is based on their own rational thought processes.• I think it might aid the thought processes, old boy.• Just to motivate the thought processes, let me suggest a possible set of goals.• These studies help us to understand the thought processes of children.• I think you may have a fundamental flaw in your thought processes.in my thoughts• To tell him that he has been always in my thoughts.• And there he stood, staring down at me, as in my thoughts he had done a hundred times.• Not in things, not even in my thoughts.• She divorced me because of my unreliable behaviour and adultery, but wherever I go she is in my thoughts.• You have been much in my thoughts.• The silence I feigned does not mean you are not in my thoughts.• Music has been in my heart all the time, and poetry in my thoughts.• I was too wrapped up in my thoughts about where our lives were going.thought of doing something• And now I am left with the thought of that day.• For experienced researchers, there is no thought of proper length unless there are guidelines that specify an appropriate length.• Has she approached the whole challenge in a different way than you would ever have thought of?• He trembled at the thought of ghosts.• His watery eyes brightened at the thought of food.• She only had two days left, and the thought of nothing after that made her shiver with dread.• The thought of death made us entire.• We may still find our attention distracted by thoughts of home, family or whatever.Origin thought2 Old English thoht 