 |
| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | French |
| Origin: | imaginer, from Latin imaginari, from imago; IMAGE |
| |||||||||
i‧ma‧gine S2 W2
[transitive]
[transitive]1 to form a picture or idea in your mind about what something could be like Imagine life without hot water.
Imagine life without hot water. imagine somebody doing something She could imagine dark-robed figures moving silently along the stone corridors.
She could imagine dark-robed figures moving silently along the stone corridors. (just) imagine doing something Imagine doing a horrible job like that! Just imagine going all that way for nothing!
Imagine doing a horrible job like that!Just imagine going all that way for nothing! it is difficult/easy/possible/impossible etc to imagine something After such a dry summer, it's difficult to imagine what rain looks like.
After such a dry summer, it's difficult to imagine what rain looks like.2 to have a false or wrong idea about something : Perhaps she'd never really been there at all - perhaps she'd just imagined it. imagined dangers
Perhaps she'd never really been there at all - perhaps she'd just imagined it.imagined dangers imagine (that) She had imagined that the doctor would be male. I was surprised when I saw the farm. I had imagined it would be much bigger.
She had imagined that the doctor would be male.I was surprised when I saw the farm. I had imagined it would be much bigger.3 [not in progressive] to think that something is true or may happen, but without being sure or having proof : 'A very complicated subject, I imagine,' said Edwin.
'A very complicated subject, I imagine,' said Edwin. imagine (that) You are obviously tired and I imagine that nothing would make you admit it.
You are obviously tired and I imagine that nothing would make you admit it.4 used to emphasize how good, bad etc something is
you can/can't imagine something
British English spoken You can/can't imagine how/what/why etc You can imagine how angry I was! You can't imagine what a terrible week we had.
You can imagine how angry I was!You can't imagine what a terrible week we had.