Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - think

(thinks, thinking, thought) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. If you think that something is the case, you have the opinion that it is the case. I certainly think there should be a ban on tobacco advertising... A generation ago, it was thought that babies born this small could not survive... Tell me, what do you think of my theory?... Peter is useless, far worse than I thought... He manages a good deal better than I thought possible... ‘It ought to be stopped.’—‘Yes, I think so.’ VERB: no cont, V that, it be V-ed that, V of/about n, V, V adj, V so/not 2. If you say that you think that something is true or will happen, you mean that you have the impression that it is true or will happen, although you are not certain of the facts. Nora thought he was seventeen years old... The storm is thought to be responsible for as many as four deaths... ‘Did Mr Stevens ever mention her to you?’—‘No, I don’t think so.’ VERB: no cont, V that, be V-ed to-inf, V so/not 3. If you think in a particular way, you have those general opinions or attitudes. You were probably brought up to think like that... If you think as I do, vote as I do... I don’t blame you for thinking that way. VERB: no cont, no passive, V like n, V as/like cl, V n 4. When you think about ideas or problems, you make a mental effort to consider them. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to think... I have often thought about this problem... Let’s think what we can do... We had to think what to do next. VERB: V, V about n/wh, V wh, V wh to-inf • Think is also a noun. (mainly BRIT) I’ll have a think about that. N-SING: a N 5. If you think in a particular way, you consider things, solve problems, or make decisions in this way, for example because of your job or your background. To make the computer work at full capacity, the programmer has to think like the machine... The referee has to think the way the players do. VERB: no passive, V prep, V n 6. If you think of something, it comes into your mind or you remember it. Nobody could think of anything to say... I was trying to think what else we had to do. VERB: no cont, V of n, V wh 7. If you think of an idea, you make a mental effort and use your imagination and intelligence to create it or develop it. He thought of another way of getting out of the marriage... VERB: V of n 8. If you are thinking something at a particular moment, you have words or ideas in your mind without saying them out loud. She must be ill, Tatiana thought... I remember thinking how lovely he looked... I’m trying to think positive thoughts. VERB: no passive, V with quote, V wh/that, V n 9. If you think of someone or something as having a particular quality or purpose, you regard them as having this quality or purpose. We all thought of him as a father... Nobody had thought him capable of that kind of thing. VERB: no cont, V of n as n/-ing, V n adj 10. If you think a lot of someone or something, you admire them very much or think they are very good. To tell the truth, I don’t think much of psychiatrists... People at the club think very highly of him... VERB: no cont, V amount of n, V adv of n 11. If you think of someone, you show consideration for them and pay attention to their needs. I’m only thinking of you... You don’t have to think about me and Hugh. VERB: V of n, V about n 12. If you are thinking of taking a particular course of action, you are considering it as a possible course of action. Martin was thinking of taking legal action against Zuckerman... VERB: V of -ing/n 13. You can say that you are thinking of a particular aspect or subject, in order to introduce an example or explain more exactly what you are talking about. I’m primarily thinking of the first year... VERB: usu cont, V of n 14. You use think in questions where you are expressing your anger or shock at someone’s behaviour. What were you thinking of? You shouldn’t steal. VERB: only interrog, V of n/-ing c darkgreen]disapproval 15. You use think when you are commenting on something which you did or experienced in the past and which now seems surprising, foolish, or shocking to you. To think I left you alone in a place with a madman at large!... When I think of how you’ve behaved and the trouble you’ve got into! VERB: no cont, no passive, V that, V of n 16. You can use think in expressions such as you would think or I would have thought when you are criticizing someone because they ought to or could be expected to do something, but have not done it. You’d think you’d remember to wash your ears... ‘Surely to God she should have been given some proper help.’—‘Well I would have thought so.’ VERB: no cont, V that, V so, also V c darkgreen]disapproval 17. You can use think in expressions such as anyone would think and you would think to express your surprise or disapproval at the way someone is behaving. Anyone would think you were in love with the girl... VERB: no cont, V that 18. see also thinking, thought 19. You use expressions such as come to think of it, when you think about it, or thinking about it, when you mention something that you have suddenly remembered or realized. He was her distant relative, as was everyone else on the island, come to think of it... PHRASE: PHR with cl 20. You use ‘I think’ as a way of being polite when you are explaining or suggesting to someone what you want to do, or when you are accepting or refusing an offer. I think I’ll go home and have a shower... We need a job, and I thought we could go around and ask if people need odd jobs done... PHRASE: PHR that, PHR with cl, PHR so/not c darkgreen]politeness 21. You use ‘I think’ in conversations or speeches to make your statements and opinions sound less forceful, rude, or direct. I think he means ‘at’ rather than ‘to’... Thanks, but I think I can handle it... PHRASE: PHR that, PHR with cl, PHR so/not c darkgreen]vagueness 22. You say just think when you feel excited, fascinated, or shocked by something, and you want the person to whom you are talking to feel the same. Just think; tomorrow we shall walk out of this place and leave it all behind us forever... = imagine PHRASE: PHR with cl, PHR wh 23. If you think again about an action or decision, you consider it very carefully, often with the result that you change your mind and decide to do things differently. It has forced politicians to think again about the wisdom of trying to evacuate refugees... PHRASE: oft PHR about n/-ing 24. If you think nothing of doing something that other people might consider difficult, strange, or wrong, you consider it to be easy or normal, and you do it often or would be quite willing to do it. I thought nothing of betting ?1,000 on a horse. PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing 25. If something happens and you think nothing of it, you do not pay much attention to it or think of it as strange or important, although later you realize that it is. When she went off to see her parents for the weekend I thought nothing of it... PHRASE: V inflects 26. you can’t hear yourself think: see hear to shudder to think: see shudder to think better of it: see better to think big: see big to think twice: see twice to think the world of someone: see world