thought (thôt)v.Past tense and past participle of think.n.1. The process of thinking; cogitation: sitting deep in thought at the computer.2. A product of thinking or other mental activity: What are your thoughts on this matter? See Synonyms at idea.3. The faculty of thinking or reasoning: Why not use thought instead of emotion to solve the problem?4. The intellectual activity or production of a particular time or group: ancient Greek thought; deconstructionist thought.5. Consideration; attention: didn’t give much thought to what she said.6. a. Intention; purpose: My thought is to live in a house on a lake.b. Expectation or conception: She had no thought that anything was wrong.Idiom: a thought To a small degree; somewhat: You could be a thought more considerate.[Middle English, from Old English geth?ht, th?ht; see tong- in Indo-European roots.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.thought (???t) vb the past tense and past participle of thinkn1. the act or process of thinking; deliberation, meditation, or reflection2. a concept, opinion, or idea3. philosophical or intellectual ideas typical of a particular time or place: German thought in the 19th century. 4. application of mental attention; consideration: he gave the matter some thought. 5. purpose or intention: I have no thought of giving up. 6. expectation: no thought of reward. 7. a small amount; trifle: you could be a thought more enthusiastic. 8. kindness or regard: he has no thought for his widowed mother. [Old English th?ht; related to Old Frisian thochta, Old Saxon, Old High German gith?cht]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014thought1 (??t) n. 1. the product of mental activity; that which one thinks: a body of thought. 2. a single act or product of thinking; idea or notion: to collect one’s thoughts. 3. the act or process of thinking; mental activity; reflection or cogitation. 4. the capacity or faculty of thinking, reasoning, imagining, etc. 5. meditation, contemplation, or recollection: deep in thought. 6. intention, design, or purpose: We had some thought of going. 7. anticipation or expectation: I had no thought of seeing you here. 8. consideration, attention, care, or regard: to take no thought of one’s appearance. 9. a judgment, opinion, or belief: According to his thought, all violence is evil. 10. the intellectual activity or the ideas, opinions, etc., characteristic of a place, group, or time: Greek thought. [before 900; Middle English thoght, Old English (ge)th?ht, c. Old Saxon gith?ht, Old High German gid?ht] syn: See idea. thought2 (??t) v. pt. and pp. of think. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Thought brainstorm A sudden and powerful thought; a good idea. The concept of forcefulness contained in the storm element seems to be losing ground to that of disorder and chaos, so that brainstorm is now most often used ironically to mean a whimsical or ill-considered notion, a stupid idea.brown study Absorption in thought; a pensive mood; absent-mindedness. This phrase dates from the early 16th century; the brown of the expression apparently stemmed from brown ?gloomy.? Citations indicate that the phrase varies in meaning: it may be used for serious thought; for apparent pensiveness masking actual absent-mindedness; or for simple idle daydreaming. John Crowe Ransom uses the phrase poignantly in ?Bells for John Whiteside?s Daughter?:There was such speed in her little body,Ana such lightness in her footfall,It is no wonder that her brown studyAstonishes us all.a horseback opinion A guess, an offhand impression, a hasty opinion or judgment delivered without ?stopping to think,? as though from horseback. Use of this U.S. colloquialism dates from the late 19th century.I am not here as a judicial authority or oracle. I can only give horseback opinion. (Congressional Record, April 23, 1879)on the carpet Under consideration or up for discussion. This expression, in use since 1726, comes from the earlier on or upon the tapis (since 1690), a partial translation of the French sur le tapis On the tablecloth.? The tablecloth in question is the one covering the council table around which the members meet to discuss items of business.put on one?s thinking cap To think about or consider; to ponder; to reflect or concentrate. Although ?thinking caps?have been mentioned in children?s literature and various legends for hundreds of years, the most likely allusion is to the official headgear which a British magistrate would wear when considering the disposition of a case and when passing sentence. In its figurative use, put on one?s thinking cap clearly implies that the matter at hand merits serious thought.It is satisfactory to know that the Post Office Department has its thinking cap on. (Daily Chronicle, January, 1903)sleep on it To contemplate and reflect upon an important proposal, plan, or other matter without making a hasty decision; to consider something overnight before making up one?s mind. This expression, in popular use for centuries, implies that some decisions, particularly portentous ones, merit at least one night of conscious and, while sleeping, subconscious thought.His Grace ? said that he would sleep and dream upon the matter, and give me an answer [in] the morning. (State Papers of Henry VIII, 1519)