- dream
- dream1 W2S2 [dri:m] n▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(while sleeping)¦2¦(wish)¦3 dream house/home/job etc4 in a dream5 be a dream come true6 like a dream7 be/live in a dream world8 be a dream9 in your dreams▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[: Old English; Origin: dream 'noise, great happiness']1.) ¦(WHILE SLEEPING)¦a series of thoughts, images, and feelings that you experience when you are asleep→↑daydream in a dream▪ In my dream I flew to a forest of enormous trees.▪ I had a really weird dream last night.▪ Nick sleeps in my room because he has bad dreams (=frightening dreams) sometimes.dream about▪ dreams about drowningrecurring dream(=a dream you have again and again)be/seem like a dream(=seem unreal)▪ Those few short months with Tony seemed like a dream to her.▪ Seeing him again was like a bad dream (=so unpleasant that it seemed unreal) .2.) ¦(WISH)¦a wish to do, be, or have something - used especially when this seems unlikely▪ Her dream is to make a movie.dream of (doing) sth▪ Sheila had dreams of university.fulfil/realize a dream▪ I fulfilled a childhood dream when I became champion in June.the man/woman/dress/place etc of your dreams(=the perfect man, woman etc)▪ I have just met the man of my dreams!beyond your wildest dreams(=better than anything you ever imagined or hoped for)not/never in your wildest dreams(=used to emphasize that you think something is very strange or unlikely)▪ Never in my wildest dreams had I thought I would go to Hollywood.3.) dream house/home/job etcsomething that seems perfect to someone▪ I've finally found my dream house.▪ Win a dream holiday for two in San Francisco!4.) in a dreamhaving a state of mind in which you do not notice or pay attention to things around you▪ Ruth went about her tasks in a dream.5.) be a dream come trueif something is a dream come true, it happens after you have wanted it to happen for a long time▪ Marriage to her is a dream come true.6.) like a dreamextremely well or effectively▪ The plan worked like a dream .7.) be/live in a dream worldto have ideas or hopes that are not correct or likely to happen▪ If you think that all homeless people have it as easy as me, then you are living in dream world.8.) be a dreambe perfect or very desirable▪ Her latest boyfriend is an absolute dream.▪ Some performers are a dream to work with; others are not.sb's dream(=something someone would really like)▪ She's every adolescent schoolboy's dream.9.) in your dreamsspoken used to say in a rude way that something is not likely to happen▪ 'I'm going to ask her to go out with me.' 'In your dreams!'dream 2dream2 S3 v past tense and past participle dreamed or dreamt [dremt]▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(wish)¦2¦(while sleeping)¦3¦(not pay attention)¦4¦(imagine)¦5 never dreamed (that)6 wouldn't dream of (doing) something7 who would have dreamt that ...?Phrasal verbsdream something<=>awaydream ondream something<=>up▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1.) ¦(WISH)¦ [I and T]to think about something that you would like to happen or havedream of/about (doing) sth▪ She dreamed of becoming a chef.▪ He's got the sort of money that you and I can only dream about .dream (that)▪ She dreamed that one day she would be famous.2.) ¦(WHILE SLEEPING)¦ [I and T]to have a dream while you are asleepdream about▪ I dreamt about you last night.dream (that)▪ It's quite common to dream that you're falling.3.) ¦(NOT PAY ATTENTION)¦to think about something else and not give your attention to what is happening around you= ↑daydream▪ She had been dreaming and had not followed the conversation.4.) ¦(IMAGINE)¦ [I and T]to imagine that you have done, seen, or heard something that you have not▪ I was sure I posted the letter but I must have dreamt it .5.) never dreamed (that)used to say that you did not think that something would happen▪ We never dreamed that we would get through to the next round.6.) wouldn't dream of (doing) sth[i]spoken used to say that you would never do something because you think it is bad or wrong▪ I wouldn't dream of letting strangers look after my own grandmother!7.) who would have dreamt that ...?spoken used to express surprise about something that has happened▪ Who would have dreamed that this would happen?dream away [dream sth<=>away] phr vto waste time by thinking about what may happen▪ She would just sit in her room dreaming away the hours.dream on phr vused to tell someone that they are hoping for something that will not happen▪ You think I'm going to help you move house? Dream on!dream up [dream sth<=>up] phr vto think of a plan or idea, especially an unusual one▪ He was continually dreaming up new schemes to promote and enlarge the business.
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.