Think

Pronunciation

• enPR: thÄ­ngk, IPA: /θɪŋk/
• Rhymes: -ɪŋk

Alternative forms

• thinck obsolete

From Middle English thinken, thynken, thenken, thenchen, from Old English þencan ("to meditate, cogitate, consider; think, have in mind; suppose, imagine, hold as an opinion or belief; think of, consider, employ the mind on a subject, reason"), from Proto-Germanic *þankijaną ("to think, suppose, perceive"), from Proto-Indo-European *tong-, *teng- ("to think, feel, know"). Cognate with Scots think, thynk ("to think"), North Frisian teenk, taanke, tanke, tånke ("to think"), Saterland Frisian toanke ("to think"), West Frisian tinke ("to think"), Dutch denken ("to think"), Low German denken ("to think"), dinken, German denken ("to think"), Danish tænke ("to think"), Swedish tänka ("to think"), Norwegian tenke ("to think"), Icelandic þekkja ("to know, recognise, identify, perceive"), Latin tongeō ("know").

Full definition of think

Verb

1. (transitive) To ponder, to go over in one's head.
• 2013-08-03, Revenge of the nerds, Think of banking today and the image is of grey-suited men in towering skyscrapers. Its future, however, is being shaped in converted warehouses and funky offices in San Francisco, New York and London, where bright young things in jeans and T-shirts huddle around laptops, sipping lattes or munching on free food.
2. Idly, the detective thought what his next move should be.
3. (intransitive) To communicate to oneself in one's mind, to try to find a solution to a problem.
   I thought for three hours about the problem and still couldn’t find the solution.
4. (intransitive) To conceive of something or someone (usually followed by of; infrequently, by on).
   I tend to think of her as rather ugly.
5. (transitive) To be of the opinion (that).
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 3, Now all this was very fine, but not at all in keeping with the Celebrity's character as I had come to conceive it. The idea that adulation ever cloyed on him was ludicrous in itself. In fact I thought the whole story fishy, and came very near to saying so.
6. I think she is pretty, contrary to most people.
7. (transitive) To guess; to reckon.
   I think she’ll pass the examination.
8. (transitive) To consider, judge, regard, or look upon (something) as.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 1, Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ and if you don't look out there's likely to be some nice, lively dog taking an interest in your underpinning.”
9. At the time I thought his adamant refusal to give in right.   I hope you won’t think me stupid if I ask you what that means.
10. To plan; to be considering; to be of a mind (to do something).
• Sir Walter Scott, IvanhoeThe cupbearer shrugged up his shoulders in displeasure. "I thought to have lodged him in the solere chamber," said he...
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 4, “Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity.
11. To presume; to venture.
• Bible, Matthew iii. 9Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.

Synonyms

• (communicate to oneself in one's mind) cogitate, ponder, reflect, ruminate; see also
• (be of the opinion (that)) opine; see also
• (guess, reckon) guess US, imagine, reckon, suppose
• (consider, judge, regard something as) consider, deem, find, judge, regard; see also

Derived terms

Related terms

• bethink
• forthink
• thought
• thunk

Noun

1. An act of thinking; consideration (of something).I'll have a think about that and let you know.

Derived terms

From Old English þyncan

Verb

1. (intransitive) To seem, to appear.
• 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XV:And than hym thought there com an olde man afore hym whych seyde, ‘A, Launcelot, of evill wycked fayth and poore beleve!’