mind
mind — verb
- mindpresent simple I / you / we / they
- minds3rd person singular
- minding-ing form
- mindedpast simple
1. To feel bothered or upset about something, typically in questions or negative se
To feel bothered or upset about something, typically in questions or negative sentences.
Do you mind if I open the window? It is getting warm in here.
mind + if-clause in questions
Xiu did not mind waiting for the bus on a sunny afternoon.
negative with did not mind + -ing verb
Would you mind holding this bag while I pay for the coffee?
Asher asked if he minded him bringing his dog to the park.
I do not mind sharing a table when the café is busy.
- be bothered by
more common in affirmative statements
- object to
stronger and more formal
- care about
broader, not limited to annoyance
- welcome
actively positive — opposite of being bothered
文法句型
mind + if-clause
mind + -ing verb
mind + object + -ing verb
用法筆記
Almost always appears in questions or negative clauses. In affirmative statements, using 'mind' sounds unnatural in most contexts — prefer 'bother' or 'upset' instead.
常見錯誤
2. A conversational expression used to introduce an honest, often mildly critical o
A conversational expression used to introduce an honest, often mildly critical opinion, especially when you feel slightly annoyed by something someone did or said.
I do not mind telling you, I was quite disappointed with the result.
I don't mind telling you — introducing honest opinion
If you do not mind my saying so, that decision was not well thought out.
if you don't mind my saying so — polite preface to criticism
Élise said she did not mind admitting that she had made a mistake.
I do not mind your using my phone, but please ask first next time.
- frankly speaking
adverbial phrase with similar conversational function
- if I may say so
more formal, less annoyed tone
文法句型
I don't mind + telling/admitting/saying + clause
用法筆記
This is a fixed conversational formula, not a productive syntactic pattern. It usually follows the structure 'I don't mind + -ing verb (telling/admitting/saying) + [clause]' or 'if you don't mind my + -ing verb + ...'.
常見錯誤
3. To watch carefully what you are doing or to a possible danger, so that nothing b
To watch carefully what you are doing or to a possible danger, so that nothing bad happens.
Mind the step when you get off the train at the station.
imperative: mind + noun — common warning sign
Rania told the children to mind their heads on the low doorway.
Mind you do not drop that glass — it is very expensive.
Marco tried to mind his language in front of the new manager.
The sign on the door said to mind the wet floor inside.
- watch
more informal, common in warnings
- be careful of
more explicit about the risk
- pay attention to
less urgent, more about focus
- ignore
deliberately not paying attention
文法句型
mind + noun phrase
mind + that-clause
用法筆記
Common in imperative warnings ('Mind the gap', 'Mind your step'). Also used with a that-clause ('Mind (that) you don't...') to warn someone about an action. Frequently used with body parts (head, step, back, tongue) as the object.
常見錯誤
4. A sudden shout or cry used to make someone move quickly because something danger
A sudden shout or cry used to make someone move quickly because something dangerous is coming towards them.
Mind out! A bicycle is coming right at you.
mind out! — warning exclamation
Diya shouted mind the car as her friend stepped off the pavement.
Mind the ladder! Someone left it lying across the path.
Hiro shouted mind out as the heavy box fell from the top shelf.
Femi yelled mind the ball as it flew towards the car windscreen.
文法句型
mind out!
mind + noun phrase (urgent)
用法筆記
Primarily British English. More urgent than sense 3 — the danger is immediate. Often used as a standalone exclamation ('Mind out!') rather than with an object.
常見錯誤
5. A friendly expression said when parting from someone, telling them to be safe an
A friendly expression said when parting from someone, telling them to be safe and take care of themselves.
Mind how you go — it was lovely seeing you today.
mind how you go — British farewell expression
Beatrix said mind yourself and waved goodbye at the door.
Mind yourselves on the way home — the roads will be icy.
Emily told her guests to mind how they go as they left the party.
文法句型
mind how you go
mind yourself
用法筆記
Chiefly British and Irish English. 'Mind how you go' is a conventionalized farewell in British English. 'Mind yourself' (plural 'mind yourselves') is common in Irish English as a parting phrase meaning 'take care'.
6. To watch over a person, child, animal, or thing for a short time, making sure th
To watch over a person, child, animal, or thing for a short time, making sure they are safe or properly looked after.
Could you mind the baby while I run to the shop for milk?
mind + person — short-term childcare
Anong asked her neighbour to mind the cat during the holiday week.
Christopher will mind the store while the owner is at lunch.
Who is going to mind the children when school finishes early?
Jabari minded his younger sister while their mother went to work.
- look after
more natural for British English; similar time range
- watch
less formal, implies supervision
- take care of
broader, can include long-term care
- neglect
failing to care for someone or something
文法句型
mind + noun phrase (person/child/thing)
用法筆記
Typically used for short-term or temporary care — watching a baby for an hour, looking after a shop for a lunch break. For longer-term care, 'take care of' or 'look after' is preferred.
常見錯誤
7. to follow the instructions, commands, or rules given by a person who has authori
to follow the instructions, commands, or rules given by a person who has authority over you — for example, a child who minds their parents, or a player who minds the coach.
Ayesha minds her grandmother and follows every rule she sets.
mind + noun phrase — obey a person in authority
Bao's mother expects him to mind what she says about finishing his homework.
mind + wh-clause — obey instructions
The puppy finally learned to mind its owner after a few weeks of training.
If the students do not mind the teacher's instructions, they may miss important information.
Piotr always minds the safety rules when he works in the chemistry lab.
文法句型
mind + noun phrase (person, rules, instructions)
mind + wh-clause
用法筆記
Frequently used with a personal object (parent, teacher, owner) or an abstract object referring to rules or instructions. The intransitive use ('Mind!') is rare in modern English outside of commands to dogs.
常見錯誤
8. to keep a piece of information, a warning, or an instruction in your memory so t
to keep a piece of information, a warning, or an instruction in your memory so that you do not forget it — for example, minding what your doctor said about taking medicine on time.
Pim always minds that the last train departs at eleven-fifteen every night.
mind + that-clause — retain a factual schedule in memory
Andrés did not mind that the museum was closed on Mondays and arrived to find the doors locked.
Please mind that the library closes at six o'clock on Sunday evenings.
Caio tried to mind the exact date of the conference but it kept slipping out of his head.
Ziad always minds that his dentist appointment is on the third Thursday of each month.
- remember
much more common and neutral in register
- bear in mind
phrasal expression; slightly more formal, often used in advice or reminders
- keep in mind
common phrasal expression; similar meaning and register
- forget
fail to keep in memory
文法句型
mind + that-clause
mind + wh-clause
mind + noun phrase
用法筆記
Less common than the 'obey' sense. Often used with a that-clause or a wh-clause rather than a simple noun object. This sense is more common in British English and may sound dated in some American dialects.
常見錯誤
mind — noun
- mindsingular
- mindsplural
1. the set of mental abilities that let a person think, feel emotions, imagine, and
the set of mental abilities that let a person think, feel emotions, imagine, and make sense of the world around them
Linh closed her eyes and let her mind drift back to the beach holiday.
let + possessive + mind + infinitive
The doctor explained that the pain was not physical but a problem in Ramón's mind.
Yael's mind was so full of exam worries that he could not focus on the book.
A curious mind is the best tool for learning new skills and languages.
When Noor heard the news, a thousand questions ran through her mind at once.
- body
the physical self, as opposed to the mental self
用法筆記
Often combined with adjectives such as 'curious', 'logical', 'creative', or 'sharp' to describe a person's type of thinking.
常見錯誤
2. a person who has a very high level of intelligence, knowledge, or skill in a par
a person who has a very high level of intelligence, knowledge, or skill in a particular area of work or study
The conference brought together some of the brightest scientific minds in the world.
collocation: bright / great / finest + mind
Professor Adina is considered one of the finest legal minds in the country.
The company hired a young tech mind to lead the new software team.
Dahlia's grandfather was a great historical mind who wrote several award-winning books.
- genius
stronger; suggests exceptional natural ability rather than learned expertise
- intellectual
a person who engages in serious academic or cultural thinking
- thinker
broader; includes philosophers and original thinkers
用法筆記
Almost always used with an adjective that describes the person's field or ability ('great', 'brilliant', 'finest', 'leading'). Rarely used without a modifier.
常見錯誤
3. a situation, problem, or fear that exists only in a person's thoughts and has no
a situation, problem, or fear that exists only in a person's thoughts and has no basis in physical reality
The patient's fear of a heart problem was all in her mind; the tests showed nothing wrong.
fixed phrase: all in + possessive + mind
Henrik thought he heard footsteps at night, but the noise was just in his mind.
The difference between the two teams was tiny — the idea of a certain victory was all in their minds.
Young children sometimes believe monsters are real, but those creatures exist only in their minds.
- imagination
a more general term; 'in your mind' specifically suggests something that is not real
- fantasy
suggests a deliberate daydream rather than a mistaken belief
- reality
the actual state of things, as opposed to what is imagined
用法筆記
Typically used in the fixed phrase 'all in the / one's mind'. The determiner is often 'your' or 'her/his' when addressing a specific person's perception.
常見錯誤
4. the act of keeping a certain fact or detail actively in your thoughts so that it
the act of keeping a certain fact or detail actively in your thoughts so that it guides your decisions or judgments
Bear in mind that the train may be very crowded during the holiday season.
imperative: bear/keep in mind + that-clause
When choosing a school, parents should keep in mind each child's individual strengths.
The judge asked the jury to bear in mind the evidence given by the first witness.
Lucía kept in mind her grandmother's advice when she made the difficult career decision.
It is worth bearing in mind that prices rise quickly during the summer months.
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed expressions 'bear/keep (something) in mind'. 'Bear' is slightly more formal than 'keep'. Often followed by a that-clause or a noun phrase.
常見錯誤
5. a thought, idea, name, or memory that suddenly appears in your conscious awarene
a thought, idea, name, or memory that suddenly appears in your conscious awareness without being deliberately searched for
When Iker thought of summer holidays, images of the beach immediately came to mind.
subject + come/spring to mind
The best solution did not come to mind until Christopher was already on the train home.
When asked about her favourite teachers, several names came to mind for Lisa.
As Harper looked at the old school photo, memories of childhood came flooding to mind.
No particular reason for the choice springs to mind right now.
- occur to
very similar; 'it occurred to me' means a thought came into my head
- pop into your head
informal; suggests a sudden, unexpected arrival of a thought
- spring to mind
interchangeable with 'come to mind' in most contexts
用法筆記
Also appears as 'spring to mind' with the same meaning. The subject is typically an idea, name, memory, or reason — not a person. Cannot be used in the continuous form ('is coming to mind').
常見錯誤
6. the experience of thinking about the same thing over and over, especially an unp
the experience of thinking about the same thing over and over, especially an unpleasant past event that you cannot stop thinking about
The mistake kept preying on Stefan's mind for weeks after the accident.
idiom: prey/weigh on + possessive + mind
Ritu found it hard to sleep because the argument kept running through her mind.
The memory of the argument dwelled in Nadia's mind long after everyone had moved on.
Eshe told her friend to stop dwelling on the past and let the old quarrel leave her mind.
The thought of Lien's harsh words weighed on Roya's mind throughout the weekend.
用法筆記
Common verbs used with this sense: 'prey on', 'weigh on', 'dwell in/on', 'run through', 'occupy'. The feeling is usually negative — worry, regret, or guilt. For positive rumination, 'run through' is the most neutral option.
常見錯誤
7. the natural thinking ability that allows someone to understand ideas, work throu
the natural thinking ability that allows someone to understand ideas, work through problems, and gain new skills
Kenji has a sharp mind and finished the complex puzzle before anyone else.
collocation: sharp mind = quick thinking ability
A good education helps develop a young mind for future challenges.
collocation: develop a young mind
Her quick mind caught every mistake in the report within minutes.
The professor's brilliant mind inspired generations of students in the physics department.
Layla showed a curious mind from an early age, always exploring how machines worked.
- intellect
more formal and abstract; focuses on reasoning power rather than general ability
- brains
informal; refers to practical intelligence or cleverness
- intelligence
broader in scope; can refer to measured IQ or general mental capacity
用法筆記
Often paired with adjectives describing intellectual quality, such as sharp, brilliant, curious, quick, or logical.
8. the ability to store information in your thoughts and bring it back when you nee
the ability to store information in your thoughts and bring it back when you need it
His mind held every line of the poem even fifty years after school.
collocation: hold in one's mind
The name of that restaurant completely slipped my mind at dinner.
idiom: slip one's mind = be forgotten
Folake could call to mind every detail of the meeting from five years ago.
Keep this date in your mind so you do not miss the doctor's appointment.
The old photograph brought happy summer memories back to his mind instantly.
- memory
more direct and common; 'mind' in this sense is slightly more literary or fixed in expressions
- recollection
formal; refers to the act of remembering a specific event rather than the general ability
用法筆記
Frequently appears in fixed expressions: slip one's mind (be forgotten), call/bring to mind (make someone remember), keep/bear in mind (not forget). The subject is often a fact, name, or event rather than a person.
常見錯誤
9. a particular opinion, belief, or way of thinking that someone has about somethin
a particular opinion, belief, or way of thinking that someone has about something
In my mind, the best plan is to wait and see how the weather develops.
phrase: in my mind = in my opinion
Gabriel could not change his mind about moving abroad after the job offer arrived.
phrase: change one's mind
The two managers were of the same mind on the need to hire more staff.
After hearing the evidence, she kept an open mind about the cause of the fire.
To my mind, the proposal needs more research before the board can vote on it.
- opinion
more general and direct; 'mind' in this sense leans toward personal conviction or preference
- view
slightly more formal; often used for considered judgments
- perspective
formal; suggests a broader or more analytical way of seeing things
用法筆記
Most common in fixed phrases: in my mind, to my mind, change one's mind, be of the same mind, keep an open mind. Distinguish from sense 7 (INTELLIGENCE): here the focus is on a person's stance or viewpoint about a specific matter, not their general intellectual ability.