WOTW: imagine
| - Tim Lake |
“Imagine” is a great verb with three related meanings. It is related to the word “image”. Let’s find out what they are and see how to use it:
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The first meaning of “imagine” is to make a mental picture, image or idea.
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+ I could never have imagined something like this would happen.
+ She imagined him in the kitchen, cooking up something delicious.
+ I can’t imagine being able to run a marathon.
+ It is hard to imagine that anyone wanting to see this film without being drunk.
+ He often tries to imagine what is ideal partner would be like.
+ I bet she was imagining what they were going to do together.
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The second related meaning of “imagine” is to believe something unreal or untrue exists.
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+ I think you are imagining things.
+ These days people buy things at a level that few imagined possible a while ago.
+ She believed she had imagined the noises.
+ The differences between men and women might be more imagined than real.
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The third meaning of “imagine” is a bit like guess, it means suppose or assume.
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+ After her husband dies, everyone imagined she would move away.
+ Parents often imagine that other people know how to raise children and they don’t.
+ He imagines that the house will sell for several million.
+ Without knowing all the information, we can end up imagining we know it all.
+ It is easy to imagine that the worst will happen.
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The pronunciation is /ɪˈmadʒ(ɪ)n/.
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This word is in the New General Service List, a list of the 3,000 most common words in English communication. You can get the full list on our website by clicking here.
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この単語は、英語で最もよく使われる3,000の単語のリストであるNew General Service Listからのものです。完全なリストはこちらから。
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