notion
/ˈnəʊʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnəʊʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnō-shən/ (ame, mw)
notion — noun
- notionsingular
- notionsplural
1. a belief, opinion, or understanding that someone holds about what something is l
a belief, opinion, or understanding that someone holds about what something is like, what is true, or how things should work
Darius has a romantic notion that true love conquers every obstacle in life.
notion + that-clause for expressing a belief
Shanti dismissed the notion that working longer hours always leads to greater success.
Adina's notion of a fair society includes equal access to education and healthcare.
The notion of leaving a secure job to start a business terrified Christopher.
Rin gradually abandoned the notion that asking for help is a sign of weakness.
- fact
something known to be true, not merely believed
文法句型
notion + that-clause
notion + of + (someone) + doing something
用法筆記
Frequently followed by a that-clause expressing the content of the belief, or by of + a noun or gerund describing the subject of the belief.
常見錯誤
2. a vague feeling, impression, or half-formed belief that something is true or lik
a vague feeling, impression, or half-formed belief that something is true or likely, even though you have little or no evidence to support it
Tamar had a vague notion that someone was following her through the crowded market.
have a vague notion + that-clause
The librarian had a notion that the missing book was still somewhere in the building.
Ezra could not shake the nagging notion that he had left the front door unlocked.
Brooke had a notion that the old photograph might be worth a lot of money.
- certainty
complete confidence, the opposite of a vague feeling
文法句型
have a notion + that-clause
vague notion + of + noun
用法筆記
Weaker and more tentative than sense 1 (IDEA). The 'notion' here is based on instinct or impression rather than reasoned thought. Common modifiers include 'vague', 'faint', 'nagging', and 'growing'.
常見錯誤
3. small sewing supplies such as needles, thread, buttons, zippers, and pins; also
small sewing supplies such as needles, thread, buttons, zippers, and pins; also refers to the section of a store where these items are sold
Isabela bought buttons, zippers, and other notions from the craft shop on Main Street.
plural: notions for sewing supplies
The fabric store on Grand Avenue has a large notions section near the back wall.
Soraya spent an hour browsing the notions aisle looking for matching thread.
Yuna organized the sewing notions into small glass jars on her work table.
The tailor asked for a delivery of basic notions, including needles and elastic bands.
- haberdashery
British English equivalent for sewing supplies and the shop section that sells them
- sundries
broader term for miscellaneous small items, not limited to sewing
文法句型
plural: notions
attributive: notions department / notions counter
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form 'notions' in this sense. In American English, a 'notions department' is a standard section of a fabric store or large department store. In British English, 'haberdashery' is the more common term.
常見錯誤
4. a sudden wish, fancy, or impulsive decision to do something, often without a rat
a sudden wish, fancy, or impulsive decision to do something, often without a rational or practical reason
Andrei took a sudden notion to cycle across the country during his summer break.
take a notion + to-infinitive for an impulsive decision
Élise had a notion to redecorate the living room at midnight with no clear plan.
Luca took a sudden notion to learn the violin and signed up for lessons that very afternoon.
The elderly couple acted on a strange notion and booked a flight to Morocco.
- plan
a carefully thought-out intention, not impulsive
文法句型
take/have a notion + to-infinitive
sudden notion + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Often carries a slightly negative or dismissive tone, implying the idea is impractical or not well thought through. Frequently appears in the patterns 'take a notion to [verb]' or 'have a notion to [verb]', especially in formal or literary writing.