notions
notions — noun
1. the personal ideas, impressions, or beliefs that someone holds about how somethi
the personal ideas, impressions, or beliefs that someone holds about how something is or should be
Christopher's romantic notions of farm life faded after one cold, muddy winter.
notions of + noun for personal ideas about something
Many old notions about how children learn have been replaced by newer research.
notions about + topic
Rohan challenged the popular notions that wealth always brings lasting happiness.
The teacher gently corrected the students' notions about life in ancient Egypt.
Travelling abroad changed Defne's notions of what a normal family looked like.
- beliefs
stronger conviction than loose 'notions'
- ideas
more neutral and wider in scope
- impressions
vaguer, based on quick observation
文法句型
notions of + noun
notions about + noun
用法筆記
Almost always plural in this sense, and frequently paired with 'of' or 'about' to name the topic. Distinguish from sense 3 (a single passing whim) — here the ideas form a settled set of beliefs, not a sudden urge.
常見錯誤
2. broad, abstract concepts that cover many cases at once, often discussed in acade
broad, abstract concepts that cover many cases at once, often discussed in academic or philosophical writing
The course explored such notions as justice, freedom, and equality among citizens.
notions as + abstract nouns in academic writing
Camila's essay compared modern notions of beauty with those of past centuries.
notions of + abstract noun
Philosophers have argued for centuries over basic notions like truth and reality.
The lecture introduced the linked notions of supply, demand, and fair price.
Two key notions shape the whole theory: cause and effect.
文法句型
notions of + abstract noun
用法筆記
Subjects are usually large abstract ideas (justice, beauty, time) rather than personal opinions. Distinguish from sense 1: these are shared, defined concepts in a field, not one person's beliefs.
3. sudden, fanciful urges or odd ideas that come and go without much thought behind
sudden, fanciful urges or odd ideas that come and go without much thought behind them
Grandpa still gets strange notions, like painting the fence bright purple overnight.
get notions for sudden fanciful urges
Pim had wild notions of sailing around the world before he turned thirty.
notions of + -ing for a passing whim
Yael laughed off her sister's romantic notions of running away to join the circus.
Whenever Erik is bored, he gets odd notions about quitting his job and farming goats.
The old captain was full of notions, changing the ship's course on a sudden mood.
文法句型
get notions
have notions of + -ing
用法筆記
Often introduced by 'get' or 'full of', signalling that the ideas are impulsive and not serious. Distinguish from sense 1: a notion here is a passing fancy, not a held belief.
4. small useful items for sewing and dressmaking, such as buttons, pins, and thread
small useful items for sewing and dressmaking, such as buttons, pins, and thread, or the part of a shop that sells them
Nellie bought thread, buttons, and other notions before starting her new dress.
notions for small sewing items
The notions counter at the back of the store sells needles, zippers, and ribbon.
notions counter / department in a shop
Adisa keeps all the spare notions in a small tin beside the sewing machine.
Most fabric shops in town stock a wide range of notions for home tailoring.
Tunde sorted the loose notions into jars, one each for pins, hooks, and snaps.
- sundries
wider; any small miscellaneous goods
- haberdashery
British equivalent for sewing items
用法筆記
Chiefly American and always plural in this sense, often seen on shop signs and labels. Unlike the other senses, this one refers to physical objects, not ideas.