3 N‑COUNT You can refer to a situation or event as a dream if you often think about it because you would like it to happen. □ He had finally accomplished his dream of becoming a pilot. □ My dream is to have a house in the country.
4 VERB If you often think about something that you would very much like to happen or have, you can say that you dream of it. □ [V + of/about ] As a schoolgirl, she had dreamed of becoming an actress. □ [V + of/about ] For most of us, a brand new designer kitchen is something we can only dream about. □ [V that] I dream that my son will attend college and find a good job.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use dream to describe something that you think is ideal or perfect, especially if it is something that you thought you would never be able to have or experience. □ …a dream holiday to Jamaica.
6 N‑SING If you describe something as a particular person's dream , you think that it would be ideal for that person and that he or she would like it very much. □ Greece is said to be a botanist's dream.
7 N‑SING If you say that something is a dream , you mean that it is wonderful. [INFORMAL ]
8 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to a situation or event that does not seem real as a dream , especially if it is very strange or unpleasant. □ When the right woman comes along, this bad dream will be over.
9 VERB [with neg] If you say that you would not dream of doing something, you are emphasizing that you would never do it because you think it is wrong or is not possible or suitable for you. [EMPHASIS ] □ [V + of ] I wouldn't dream of making fun of you.
10 VERB If you say that you never dreamed that something would happen, you are emphasizing that you did not think that it would happen because it seemed very unlikely. [EMPHASIS ] □ [V that] I never dreamed that I would be able to afford a home here. □ [V + of ] Who could ever dream of a disaster like this?
11 → see also pipe dream , wet dream
12 PHRASE If you tell someone to dream on , you mean that something they are hoping for is unlikely to happen. □ 'Perhaps one day I may go on a relaxing holiday.'—'Yeah, dream on.'
13 PHRASE If you say that you are in a dream , you mean that you do not concentrate properly on what you are doing because you are thinking about other things. □ All day long I moved in a dream.
14 PHRASE You say ` In your dreams! ' when you think that what someone wants is never going to happen or be true. □ He seems to think he is going to make it as a comedian. In your dreams, lad.
15 PHRASE If you say that someone does something like a dream , you think that they do it very well. If you say that something happens like a dream , you mean that it happens successfully without any problems. □ She cooked like a dream.
16 PHRASE If you describe someone or something as the person or thing of your dreams , you mean that you consider them to be ideal or perfect. □ This could be the man of my dreams.
17 PHRASE If you say that you could not imagine a particular thing in your wildest dreams , you are emphasizing that you think it is extremely strange or unlikely. [EMPHASIS ] □ Never in my wildest dreams did I think we could win.
18 PHRASE If you describe something as being beyond your wildest dreams , you are emphasizing that it is better than you could have imagined or hoped for. [EMPHASIS ] □ She had already achieved success beyond her wildest dreams.
▸ dream up PHRASAL VERB If you dream up a plan or idea, you work it out or create it in your mind. □ [V P n] I dreamed up a plan to solve both problems at once. □ [V n P ] His son hadn't dreamed it up. COLLOCATIONS dream NOUN 3
noun + dream : boyhood, childhood
adjective + dream : distant, impossible, wildest; lifelong
verb + dream : fulfil; chase, pursue; achieve, live, realize; crush, dash, shatter
dream|er /driː mə r / (dreamers ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a dreamer , you mean that they spend a lot of time thinking about and planning for things that they would like to happen but which are improbable or impractical.
dreami|ly /driː m I li/ ADV [usu ADV with v] If you say or do something dreamily , you say or do it in a way that shows your mind is occupied with pleasant, relaxing thoughts. □ 'They were divine,' she sighs, dreamily.
dream|land /driː mlænd/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] If you refer to a situation as dreamland , you mean that it represents what someone would like to happen, but that it is completely unrealistic. □ In dreamland we play them in the final.
dream|less /driː mləs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A dreamless sleep is very deep and peaceful, and without dreams. □ He fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
dream|like /driː mla I k/ ADJ If you describe something as dreamlike , you mean it seems strange and unreal. □ Her paintings have a naive, dreamlike quality.
dreamt /dre mt/ In British English, dreamt is a past tense and past participle of dream .
drea m tea m (dream teams ) N‑COUNT A dream team is the best possible group of people to be in a sports team or to do a particular job. □ …American basketball's dream team.
drea m ti ck|et N‑SING If journalists talk about a dream ticket , they are referring to two candidates for political positions, for example President and Vice-President, or Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, who they think will be extremely successful.
dreamy /driː mi/ (dreamier , dreamiest )
1 ADJ If you say that someone has a dreamy expression, you mean that they are not paying attention to things around them and look as if they are thinking about something pleasant. □ His face assumed a sort of dreamy expression.