# thought

Pronunciation: say "THAWT" US /θɔt/, UK /θɔːt/; AUS

## Verb

1. Simple past and past participle of think. — simple past and past participle of think
   - Simple: Simple past and past participle of think, as in 'I thought', 'I have thought' and 'it is thought'.
   - _They thought hard before settling on a final answer._
   - _I thought you were coming over tomorrow, not today._

## Noun

2. An idea or image formed in the mind, rather than something perceived through the senses; an instance of thinking.
   - Simple: An idea or picture that forms in your mind.
   - _A sudden thought struck him as he locked the front door._
   - _She jotted down every thought that came to her during the lecture._
3. The mental process by which ideas arise and are worked out; the means by which thinking is accomplished.
   - Simple: The act or process of using your mind to think.
   - _Language shapes the way human thought develops over a lifetime._
   - _Lack of sleep slows thought and makes simple decisions feel hard._
4. Careful consideration of the various factors involved in something; deliberation.
   - Simple: Careful attention given to something before you decide.
   - _The committee gave the proposal serious thought before voting._
   - _After much thought, he decided to accept the job offer._
5. A body of ideas or way of thinking associated with a particular person, group, period, place, or subject.
   - Simple: A set of ideas linked with a person, group, time, place, or subject.
   - _Medieval thought was deeply shaped by the church and its teachings._
   - _Feminist thought challenged many long-held assumptions about society._
6. A very small amount, degree, or distance; a whit or jot.
   - Simple: A very small amount or distance, only a tiny bit.
   - _The soup needs a thought more salt to taste right._
   - _She stood a thought taller than her younger sister._
7. Sympathetic regard for others that shows in remembering what they feel, what they need, or what troubles them.
   - Simple: Kind care for other people, shown when you remember how they feel or what they need.
   - _Spare a thought for the nurses working through the holiday weekend._
   - _The host showed real thought for her guests, setting aside a quiet room for anyone with small children._

## Other meanings

- (noun) Worry, anxiety, or mental distress.

## Origin

From Middle English thought, from Old English þōht, ġeþōht, which traces back through Proto-West Germanic and Proto-Germanic forms to the Proto-Indo-European root *teng- ("to think"). It is related to the words "thank" and "think," with cognates including Dutch gedachte and German Andacht.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/thought (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).