mental

men|tal

W2S2 [ˈmentl] adj

[Date: 1400-1500; : French; Origin: Late Latin mentalis, from Latin mens 'mind']

1.) [only before noun]

relating to the health or state of someone's mind

→↑psychiatric

▪ The centre provides help for people suffering from mental illness.

▪ Stress has an effect on both your physical and mental health.

2.) [only before noun]

relating to the mind and thinking, or happening only in the mind

▪ a child's mental development

▪ You need to develop a positive mental attitude.

mental picture/image

(=a picture that you form in your mind)

▪ I tried to get a mental picture of him from her description.

3.) make a mental note

to make a special effort to remember something

▪ Sarah made a mental note to ask Janine about it later.

4.) mental block

a difficulty in remembering something or in understanding something

▪ I got a complete mental block as soon as the interviewer asked me a question.

5.) go mentalBrE spoken informal

a) to get very angry

b) to start behaving in an uncontrolled or excited way

6.) [not before noun] BrE informal thinking or behaving in a way that seems crazy or strange

▪ He must be mental!

>mentally adv

▪ She's obviously mentally ill .