idea

Everyday

1. A thought or plan that comes into your mind, especially a new one: a good idea. tree →
2. What you know or think about something: «I have no idea». tree →
3. The main point or purpose: «The idea of the game is to …». tree →
4. An opinion or belief: «She has her own ideas about it». tree →

In the lessons

In school: brainstorm ideas, the main idea of a paragraph, a writing idea; in science an idea you test is a hypothesis. In everyday life: «good idea», «bad idea» — judging if a plan is safe or sensible. Phrases: good idea, no idea, get the idea, have an idea, main idea, the idea of, bright idea.

Examples

• I have an idea: let's build a fort! tree →
• That's a good idea. tree →
• I have no idea where my shoes are. tree →
• What is the main idea of this paragraph? tree →
• The idea of the game is to reach the end first. tree →
• Climbing on the roof is a bad idea. tree →
• We shared our ideas in a group. tree →
• Do you get the idea? tree →
• Then an idea came to him. tree →

Note

Countable: an idea (with «an» because it starts with a vowel sound), ideas. Say «eye-DEE-uh». «No idea» = I don't know. «Idea» is not the same as «ideal» (perfect).

In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: Commentators on Sefer Yetzirah often treat God, the idea and the word as one, so that creation begins as a thought and becomes real through speech. In the primary lessons: In school: brainstorm ideas, the main idea of a paragraph, a writing idea; in science an idea you test is a hypothesis. In everyday life: «good idea», «bad idea» — judging if a plan is safe or sensible. Phrases: good idea, no idea, get the idea, have an idea, main idea, the idea of, bright idea.

Examples

• We find this very idea in the Pythagorean system. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →
• This idea is then symbolically explained in the next paragraph. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →
• 13) See above Note 1, God, idea and word are indivisible. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →

Note

Countable: an idea (with «an» because it starts with a vowel sound), ideas. Say «eye-DEE-uh». «No idea» = I don't know. «Idea» is not the same as «ideal» (perfect).