22 PHRASE 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.
23 PHRASE 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. □ [+ about ] It has forced politicians to think again about the wisdom of trying to evacuate refugees.
24 PHRASE 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.
25 PHRASE 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.
26 you can't hear yourself think → see hear
27 to shudder to think → see shudder
28 to think better of it → see better
29 to think big → see big
30 to think twice → see twice
31 to think the world of someone → see world
▸ think back PHRASAL VERB If you think back , you make an effort to remember things that happened to you in the past. □ [V P prep] I thought back to the time in 1975 when my son was desperately ill. □ [V P ] Thinking back, I don't know how I had the courage.
▸ think out PHRASAL VERB If you think something out , you consider all the aspects and details of it before doing anything or making a decision. □ [V n P ] I need time alone to think things out. □ [V -ed P ] The book is detailed and well thought out. □ [V P n] He chewed at the end of his pencil, thinking out the next problem.
▸ think over PHRASAL VERB If you think something over , you consider it carefully before making a decision. □ [V n P ] She said she needs time to think it over. □ [V P n] I suggest you think over your position very carefully.
▸ think through PHRASAL VERB If you think a situation through , you consider it thoroughly, together with all its possible effects or consequences. □ [V P n] I didn't think through the consequences of promotion. □ [V n P ] It was the first time she'd had a chance to think it through.
▸ think up PHRASAL VERB If you think something up , for example an idea or plan, you invent it using mental effort. □ [V P n] Julian has been thinking up new ways of raising money. □ [V n P ] 'Where do you get that idea about the piano?'—'Well, I just thought it up.' SYNONYMS think VERB 2
consider: I consider activities such as jogging and weightlifting as unnatural.
reckon: He reckoned he was still fond of her.
believe: Experts believe that the coming drought will be extensive.
imagine: I imagine you're referring to Jean-Paul Sartre.
think|er /θ I ŋkə r / (thinkers ) N‑COUNT A thinker is a person who spends a lot of time thinking deeply about important things, especially someone who is famous for thinking of new or interesting ideas.
think|ing ◆◆◇ /θ I ŋk I ŋ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [with poss] The general ideas or opinions of a person or group can be referred to as their thinking . □ There was undeniably a strong theoretical dimension to his thinking.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Thinking is the activity of using your brain by considering a problem or possibility or creating an idea. □ This is a time of decisive action and quick thinking.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone as a thinking man or woman, you mean that they are intelligent and take an interest in important events and issues, and you approve of this. [APPROVAL ] □ Thinking people on both sides will applaud this book. □ A newspaper called him 'the thinking man's Tory'.
4 → see also wishful thinking
5 PHRASE Blue-sky thinking is the activity of trying to find completely new ideas. □ Some consultants are good at blue-sky thinking but cannot translate that into practical change.
thi nk piece (think pieces ) also think-piece N‑COUNT A think piece is an article in a newspaper or magazine that discusses a particular subject in a serious and thoughtful way.
thi nk-tank (think-tanks ) N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] A think-tank is a group of experts who are gathered together by an organization, especially by a government, in order to consider various problems and try and work out ways to solve them. □ …Moscow's leading foreign policy think-tank.
thi n-ski nned ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone is thin-skinned , you mean that they are easily upset by criticism or unpleasantness. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Some fear he is too thin-skinned to survive the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign.
third ◆◆◇ /θɜː r d/ (thirds )
1 ORD The third item in a series is the one that you count as number three. □ I sleep on the third floor. □ It was the third time one of his cars had gone up in flames.
2 FRACTION A third is one of three equal parts of something. □ A third of the cost went into technology and services.
3 ADV You say third when you want to make a third point or give a third reason for something. □ First, interest rates may take longer to fall. Second, lending may fall. Third, bad loans could wipe out any improvement.