imagine

i|ma|gine

W2S2 [ıˈmædʒın] v [T]

[Date: 1300-1400; : French; Origin: imaginer, from Latin imaginari, from imago; IMAGE]

1.) to form a picture or idea in your mind about what something could be like

imagine (that)

▪ Imagine that you have just won a million pounds.

▪ Imagine life without hot water.

imagine what/how/why etc

▪ Can you imagine what it's like when it's really hot out here in Delhi?

imagine sb doing sth

▪ She could imagine dark-robed figures moving silently along the stone corridors.

(just) imagine doing sth

▪ Imagine doing a horrible job like that!

▪ Just imagine going all that way for nothing!

imagine sb/sth as sth

▪ He didn't quite dare to imagine himself as a real artist.

imagine sb in/with/without etc sth

▪ Somehow I can't imagine him without a beard.

it is difficult/easy/possible/impossible etc to imagine sth

▪ After such a dry summer, it's difficult to imagine what rain looks like.

2.) to have a false or wrong idea about something

▪ Perhaps she'd never really been there at all - perhaps she'd just imagined it.

▪ imagined dangers

imagine (that)

▪ She had imagined that the doctor would be male.

▪ I was surprised when I saw the farm. I had imagined it would be much bigger.

imagine sth/sb to be sth

▪ There's nobody here. You're just imagining things .

3.) [not in progressive]

to think that something is true or may happen, but without being sure or having proof

▪ 'A very complicated subject, I imagine,' said Edwin.

imagine (that)

▪ You are obviously tired and I imagine that nothing would make you admit it.

4.) you can/can't imagine sth

BrE spoken used to emphasize how good, bad etc something is

You can/can't imagine how/what/why etc

▪ You can imagine how angry I was!

▪ You can't imagine what a terrible week we had.