ideals
ideals — noun
1. strong beliefs about how people should act or how the world should be — usually
strong beliefs about how people should act or how the world should be — usually about things like honesty, fairness, or kindness.
Defne refused the bribe because it went against her deepest ideals.
go against one's ideals
Many young doctors enter the profession with strong ideals about helping the poor.
enter [profession] with strong ideals
Hari's parents raised him to live by the ideals of honesty and hard work.
The new mayor was elected on the ideals of fairness and clean government.
After years in business, Ezra found it hard to stick to his early ideals.
- principles
very close in meaning; slightly more about rules of conduct than aspirational beliefs.
- values
what someone considers important in life; broader than ideals, can include private preferences.
- morals
focuses on right and wrong conduct; narrower and more about personal behaviour.
文法句型
ideals of [equality/justice]
live up to one's ideals
stick to one's ideals
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person or group whose actions reflect (or fail to reflect) those beliefs. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names abstract principles you believe in, not concrete examples you copy.
常見錯誤
2. perfect examples of something — like beauty, success, or a relationship — that p
perfect examples of something — like beauty, success, or a relationship — that people imagine and try to match in real life.
Many magazines promote ideals of beauty that very few women can ever match.
ideals of beauty that few can match
Christopher worried his marriage fell short of the ideals shown in romantic films.
fall short of the ideals
The Greek ideals of the human body still shape art classes around the world.
Eshe rejected the family's ideals of success and opened a small bakery instead.
Yuna's drawings show old Japanese ideals of quiet, simple living in a garden.
- standards
what people accept as good enough; less perfect than ideals.
- models
concrete examples used for copying; ideals are more abstract and aspirational.
- archetypes
a basic perfect form of a type; more formal and theoretical than ideals.
文法句型
ideals of beauty
match the ideals
fall short of the ideals
用法筆記
Often paired with 'of' + an abstract noun (beauty, success, motherhood). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a perfect picture or model people copy, not a moral belief about right behaviour.
常見錯誤
ideals — adjective
1. the best you could ever hope for in a certain situation — nothing about it could
the best you could ever hope for in a certain situation — nothing about it could be made better.
The empty beach at sunset was an ideal spot for Talia's birthday photos.
an ideal spot for [event]
Soft cotton is ideal for babies because it does not scratch their skin.
ideal for + group/purpose
Henrik thought the small cabin by the lake would be ideal for quiet writing.
Today's warm wind makes ideal conditions for flying a kite on the hill.
The job seemed ideal until Lien learned she had to travel every weekend.
- unsuitable
the wrong choice for the situation.
- poor
below the standard needed.
文法句型
ideal for [purpose/person]
an ideal [noun]
ideal conditions
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'for' + the purpose or person it suits. Often appears with 'absolutely' or 'far from'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense describes real things that fit a need perfectly, not things that exist only as a mental picture.
常見錯誤
2. existing only as a picture in someone's mind — true in thought but not in real l
existing only as a picture in someone's mind — true in thought but not in real life.
In an ideal world, every child would have books, food, and a warm bed.
in an ideal world + would-clause
Camila described her ideal partner, knowing such a person would never exist.
one's ideal [noun]
Élise's plan looked good on paper but stayed an ideal vision, never built.
Old Greek thinkers wrote about an ideal city ruled only by wise leaders.
Benjamin held an ideal image of his late father that no real man could match.
- imaginary
stronger; clearly not real, sometimes fictional.
- theoretical
exists in thinking or planning, often used in science.
- hypothetical
based on a 'what if' situation; used in arguments and tests.
文法句型
an ideal world
in an ideal situation
an ideal solution
用法筆記
Most common in the fixed phrase 'in an ideal world', which signals the speaker knows reality is different. Distinguish from sense 1: here the thing being described does not actually exist; in sense 1 it does and fits perfectly.