The word mind in different languages

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English minde, münde, ȝemünde, from Old English mynd, ġemynd (“memory”), from Proto-West Germanic *mundi, *gamundi, from Proto-Germanic *mundiz, *gamundiz (“memory, remembrance”), from Proto-Indo-European *méntis (“thought”) (compare also mantis, via Greek), from the root *men- (“to think”). Cognate with Old High German gimunt (“mind, memory”), Danish minde (“memory”), Swedish minne (“memory”), Icelandic minni (“memory, recall, recollection”), Gothic 𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍃 (munds, “memory, mind”), Latin mēns (“mind, reason”), Sanskrit मनस् (mánas), Ancient Greek μένος (ménos), Albanian mënd (“mind, reason”). Doublet of mantra. Related to Old English myntan (“to mean, intend, purpose, determine, resolve”). More at mint#Etymology 3.

Pronunciation[edit]

• enPR: mīnd, IPA^(key): /maɪnd/
• Rhymes: -aɪnd
• Homophone: mined

Noun[edit]

mind (countable and uncountable, plural minds)

1. The capability for rational thought.

   • 1576, George Whetstone, “The Ortchard of Repentance: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], →OCLC, page 291:

     And ſure, although it was invented to eaſe his mynde of griefe, there be a number of caveats therein to forewarne other young gentlemen to foreſtand with good government their folowing yl fortunes; […]

   • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     “ […] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”

   Despite advancing age, his mind was still as sharp as ever.

2. The ability to be aware of things.

   There was no doubt in his mind that they would win.

3. The ability to remember things.

   My mind just went blank.

4. The ability to focus the thoughts.

   I can’t keep my mind on what I’m doing.

5. Somebody that embodies certain mental qualities.

   He was one of history’s greatest minds.

   • 2022 November 16, Christian Wolmar, “Can Merriman use his rail knowledge to make a difference?”, in RAIL, number 970, page 45:

     That’s far from the promised land set out in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, that the railways would have a guiding mind that would be in control of the industry’s finances. Businesses have what is called a profit and loss account, showing both revenue and costs, but the current situation means that the two sides of the system are in different hands — and neither is (as yet) in the hands of a ‘guiding mind’.

6. Judgment, opinion, or view.

   He changed his mind after hearing the speech.

7. Desire, inclination, or intention.

   She had a mind to go to Paris.

   I am of a mind to listen.

   • c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, lines 94–99, page 64:

     I fortuned to come in,
     Thys rebell to behold,
     Whereof I hym controld;
     But he sayde that he wolde
     Agaynst my mynde and wyll
     In my church hawke styll.

   • 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities:

     Although Miss Pross, through her long association with a French family, might have known as much of their language as of her own, if she had had a mind, she had no mind in that direction […] So her manner of marketing was to plump a noun-substantive at the head of a shopkeeper without any introduction in the nature of an article […]

8. A healthy mental state.

   I, ______ being of sound mind and body, do hereby […]

   You are losing your mind.

9. (philosophy) The non-material substance or set of processes in which consciousness, perception, affectivity, judgement, thinking, and will are based.

   The mind is a process of the brain.

   • 1699, William Temple, Heads designed for an essay on conversations

     Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it.

   • 1854, Samuel Knaggs, Unsoundness of Mind Considered in Relation to the Question of Responsibility for Criminal Acts, p.19:

     The mind is that part of our being which thinks and wills, remembers and reasons; we know nothing of it except from these functions.

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     […] St. Bede’s at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished lively interest from a stranger’s mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.

10. Continual prayer on a dead person’s behalf for a period after their death.

    a month’s [or monthly] mind; a year’s mind

11. (uncountable) Attention, consideration or thought.

    • They are the “tars” who give mind to the spreading sail, and their bold courage is the pabulum which will preserve our sea-girt isle in its vernal green to furthest posterity.

    • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide

      Then he, having mind of Beelzebub, the god of flies, fled without a halt homewards; but, falling in the coo’s loan, broke two ribs and a collar bone, the whilk misfortune was much blessed to his soul.

    • 2014, Jolie O’Dell, Blogging for Photographers, page 66:

      If you get a “trolling” comment, delete it, do not respond to it, and move forward immediately without paying any further mind.

Synonyms[edit]

• (ability for rational thought): brain(s), head, intellect, intelligence, nous, psyche, reason, wit; See also Thesaurus:intelligence
• (ability to be aware of things): awareness, consciousness, sentience; See also Thesaurus:awareness
• (ability to remember things): memory, recollection; See also Thesaurus:recollection
• (ability to focus the thoughts): attention, concentration, focus
• (somebody that embodies certain mental qualities): genius, intellectual, thinker; See also Thesaurus:genius
• (judgment, opinion, or view): judgment, judgement, idea, opinion, view; See also Thesaurus:judgement
• (desire, inclination, or intention): desire, disposition, idea, inclination, intention, mood; See also Thesaurus:desire or Thesaurus:intention
• (healthy mental state): sanity; See also Thesaurus:sanity
• (process of): cognition, learning

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

• → Japanese: マインド (maindo)
• → Malay: minda

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

mind (third-person singular simple present minds, present participle minding, simple past and past participle minded)

1. To bring or recall to mind; to remember; bear or keep in mind.
   • 1878, Robert Browning, La Saisiaz, line 70:

     Mind to-morrow’s early meeting!

2. (now regional) To remember. [from 14th c.]
   • 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, XXXVII, lines 25-26:

     The land where I shall mind you not / Is the land where all’s forgot.

3. (obsolete or dialectal) To remind; put one’s mind on.

   • 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     Farewell, kind lord; fight valiantly to-day: / And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it, / For thou art framed of the firm truth of valour.

   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Let me be punished, that have minded you Of what you should forget.

   • 1684-1690, Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth

     I desire to mind those persons of what Saint Austin hath said.

   • 1689, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, «Of True and False Ideas»

     I shall only mind him, that the contrary supposition, if it could be proved, is of little use.

   • 1655, Thomas Fuller, James Nichols, editor, The Church History of Britain, […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), new edition, London: […] [James Nichols] for Thomas Tegg and Son, […], published 1837, →OCLC:

     He minded them of the mutability of all earthly things.

4. To turn one’s mind to; to observe; to notice.

   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me / For bringing wood in slowly. I’ll fall flat; / Perchance he will not mind me.

5. To regard with attention; to treat as of consequence.
   • 1907 E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part I, V [Uniform ed., p. 63]:

     It’s the worst thing that can ever happen to you in all your life, and you’ve got to mind it—you’ve got to mind it. They’ll come saying, ‘Bear up—trust to time.’ No, no; they’re wrong. Mind it.

6. (chiefly imperative) To pay attention or heed to so as to obey; hence to obey; to make sure, to take care (that). [from 17th c.]

   Mind you don’t knock that glass over.

7. (now rare except in phrases) To pay attention to, in the sense of occupying one’s mind with, to heed. [from 15th c.]

   You should mind your own business.

   • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     My lord, you nod: you do not mind the play.

   • 1712, Joseph Addison, Spectator, No. 383 (May 20, 1710:

     Upon my coming down, I found all the Children of the Family got about my old Friend, and my Landlady herself, who is a notable prating Gossip, engaged in a Conference with him; being mightily pleased with his stroaking her little Boy upon the Head, and bidding him be a good Child and mind his Book.

   • 2000, George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords, Bantam 2011, page 84:

     Should you ever have a son, Sansa, beat him frequently so he learns to mind you.

8. To look after, to take care of, especially for a short period of time. [from 17th c.]

   Would you mind my bag for me?

9. To be careful about. [from 18th c.]

   • 2005, Gillie Bolton, Reflective Practice: Writing And Professional Development, →ISBN, page xv:

     Bank Underground Station, London, is built on a curve, leaving a potentially dangerous gap between platform and carriage to trap the unwary. The loudspeaker voice instructs passengers to «Mind the gap»: the boundary between train and platform.

10. (now obsolete outside dialect) To purpose, intend, plan.

    • c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

      I mind to tell him plainly what I think.

    • 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], volume (please specify the volume), Shammar edition, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:

      […] and if ever I refused to do his bidding or loitered or took my leisure he beat me with his feet more grievously than if I had been beaten with whips. He ceased not to signal with his hand wherever he was minded to go; so I carried him about the island, like a captive slave, and he bepissed and conskited my shoulders and back, dismounting not night nor day; and whenas he wished to sleep he wound his legs about his neck and leaned back and slept awhile, then arose and beat me; whereupon I sprang up in haste, unable to gainsay him because of the pain he inflicted on me.

11. (UK, Ireland) Take note; used to point out an exception or caveat.

    I’m not very healthy. I do eat fruit sometimes, mind.

13. (originally and chiefly in negative or interrogative constructions) To dislike, to object to; to be bothered by. [from 16th c.]

    I wouldn’t mind an ice cream right now.

    Do you mind if I smoke?

Conjugation[edit]

Synonyms[edit]

• (remember): See also Thesaurus:remember
• (dislike): See also Thesaurus:dislike
• (pay attention to): heed; See also Thesaurus:pay attention
• (look after): See also Thesaurus:care

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

• → Chinese: mind, MIND

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• mind on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Chinese[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• MIND

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English mind.

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

mind

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to mind; to care about

   • 她即說：「我對呢個人No comment。（覺得佢抽你水？）No comment，點解你哋唔話搵梁朝偉同我合作，我唔怕，亦都好希望梁朝偉抽我水，佢點抽我都唔mind。」 [Cantonese, trad.]
     她即说：“我对呢个人No comment。（觉得佢抽你水？）No comment，点解你哋唔话揾梁朝伟同我合作，我唔怕，亦都好希望梁朝伟抽我水，佢点抽我都唔mind。” [Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 2016 June 2, Oriental Daily News, 《杜如風恨畀梁朝偉抽水：我唔Mind》

     taa¹ zik¹ syut³: “Ngo⁵ deoi³ ni¹ go³ jan⁴ No comment. (gok³ dak¹ keoi⁵ cau¹ nei⁵ seoi²?) No comment, dim² gaai² nei⁵ dei⁶ m⁴ waa⁶ wan² loeng⁴ ciu⁴ wai⁵ tung⁴ ngo⁵ hap⁶ zok³, ngo⁵ m⁴ paa³, jik⁶ dou¹ hou² hei¹ mong⁶ loeng⁴ ciu⁴ wai⁵ cau¹ ngo⁵ seoi², keoi⁵ dim² cau¹ ngo⁵ dou¹ m⁴ maai¹.” [Jyutping]

     (please add an English translation of this example)

References[edit]

• Bolton, Kingsley; Hutton, Christopher (2005) A Dictionary of Cantonese Slang: The Language of Hong Kong Movies, Street Gangs and City Life, Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, →ISBN, page 276

Danish[edit]

Verb[edit]

mind Warning: Display title «<span class=»Latn»>mind</span>» overrides earlier display title «<span class=»Hani»>mind</span>».

1. imperative of minde

Estonian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronoun[edit]

mind

1. partitive singular of mina

Hungarian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Presumably from mi? (“what?”).^[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): [ˈmind]
• Rhymes: -ind

Pronoun[edit]

mind

1. all of it, all of them, each of them (grammatically singular)

   Synonyms: mindegyikük, mindegyik, az összes

   Mind(et) megettem. ― I ate all of it.

   A fogaim nem jók, de még mind megvan. ― My teeth are not perfect, but I still have all of them.

Declension[edit]

Some of its possessive forms (single possession with plural possessor) are possible in the partitive sense (“all of us​/​you​/​them”):

(See also a list of partitive pronoun forms.)
The possessive sense can be expressed with minden.

Adverb[edit]

mind (not comparable)

1. with everyone, all (usually of persons)

   Synonyms: mindnyájan, mindannyian

   Mind összegyűltek a ház előtt. ― They all gathered in front of the house.

2. (formal) increasingly (used with comparative form)

   Synonym: egyre

   Mind nagyobb igény van erre a szolgáltatásra. ― There is more and more demand for this service.

3. (up) until…, up to… (used with -ig; not (until) sooner than a given point in time)

   Synonym: egészen

   mind a mai napig ― (up) to this (very) day

   (Note: Most other phrases with this meaning are written without a space: mindaddig, mindeddig, mindmáig, mindmostanáig, mindvégig)

Derived terms[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

mind

1. (formal) both… and…, as well as

   mind a magánéletben, mind a munkában ― both in private life and in work

   Synonym: is

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• (pronoun & adverb): mind in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
• (conjunction): mind in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

Old Irish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Celtic *mandu (“mark, sign”).^[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /mʲin͈d/

Noun[edit]

mind n (nominative plural mind)

1. A symbol indicating honour or rank; a crown, insignia, emblem

Inflection[edit]

The genitive of this term is unexpectedly poorly attested. Its genitive plural mind is akin to a neuter o-stem, leading to DIL listing it as such. Unlike most u-stems, the declension never has the stem vowel i lowering to e even where it is expected.

Descendants[edit]

• Irish: mionn
• Scottish Gaelic: mionn

Mutation[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 mind, minn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Scots[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old English ġemynd, from Proto-Germanic *gamundiz.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /mɑend/

Noun[edit]

mind (plural minds)

1. memory, recollection.
2. mind.

Verb[edit]

mind (third-person singular simple present minds, present participle mindin, simple past mindit, past participle mindit)

1. To remember.
2. To remind.
3. To mind, care.

• Defenition of the word mind

  • To have an unwanted negative influence on someone, to be distractive to or for someone, impress someone or something in a troublesome or uneasy way.
  • The ability for rational thought.
  • To perceive with the ear (paying attention to what is heard).
  • To be in charge of or deal with.
  • To be cautious, wary or careful; to be alert to.
  • The complex of cognitive faculties, mostly characteristic of human beings, that enables consciousness, thinking, reasoning, perception, and judgement.
  • To be offended or bothered by; take offense with.
  • To be worried or concerned with or about something or somebody.
  • To keep in mind.
  • be on one’s guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to; «Beware of telephone salesmen»
  • pay close attention to; give heed to; «Heed the advice of the old men»
  • an opinion formed by judging something; «he was reluctant to make his judgment known»; «she changed her mind»
  • attention; «don’t pay him any mind»
  • recall or remembrance; «it came to mind»
  • be offended or bothered by; take offense with, be bothered by: «I don’t mind your behavior»
  • keep in mind
  • that which is responsible for one’s thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason; «his mind wandered»; «I couldn’t get his words out of my head»
  • your intention; what you intend to do; «he had in mind to see his old teacher»; «the idea of the game is to capture all the pieces»
  • knowledge and intellectual ability; «he reads to improve his mind»; «he has a keen intellect»
  • an intellectual being; «the great minds of the 17th century»
  • be concerned with or about something or somebody
  • be in charge of or deal with; «She takes care of all the necessary arrangements»
  • that which is responsible for one»s thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason; «his mind wandered»; «I couldn»t get his words out of my head»
  • attention; «don»t pay him any mind»
  • an important intellectual; «the great minds of the 17th century»
  • be on one»s guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to; «Beware of telephone salesmen»
  • be offended or bothered by; take offense with, be bothered by; «I don»t mind your behavior»
  • that which is responsible for one’s thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason
  • knowledge and intellectual ability
  • attention
  • recall or remembrance
  • an opinion formed by judging something
  • your intention; what you intend to do
  • an important intellectual
  • be on one’s guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to
  • be offended or bothered by; take offense with, be bothered by
  • be in charge of or deal with
  • pay close attention to; give heed to

Synonyms for the word mind

• • attend to
  • attention
  • awareness
  • be bothered
  • be careful
  • be offended
  • bear in mind
  • beware
  • brain
  • brainpower
  • brains
  • care
  • care for
  • concentration
  • consciousness
  • demur
  • desire
  • disapprove
  • disposition
  • genius
  • head
  • heed
  • idea
  • inclination
  • intellect
  • intellectual
  • intelligence
  • intention
  • judgement
  • judgment
  • listen
  • look after
  • look out
  • memory
  • mentality
  • mood
  • nous
  • object
  • opinion
  • pay attention
  • point of view
  • psyche
  • reason
  • recollection
  • take care
  • take care of
  • take offense
  • tend
  • thinker
  • thoughts
  • view
  • watch out
  • watch over
  • way of thinking
  • wit
  • wits
  • worry

Similar words in the mind

• • mind
  • mind’s
  • mindanao
  • mindanao’s
  • mindbogglingly
  • minded
  • mindedness
  • mindful
  • mindfully
  • mindfulness
  • mindfulness’s
  • minding
  • mindlessly
  • mindlessness
  • mindlessness’s
  • mindoro
  • mindoro’s
  • minds
  • mindy
  • mindy’s

Hyponyms for the word mind

• • attend to
  • bridle at
  • bridle up
  • bristle at
  • bristle up
  • care
  • conclusion
  • decision
  • determination
  • ego
  • noddle
  • subconscious
  • subconscious mind
  • tabula rasa
  • take to heart
  • tend
  • unconscious
  • unconscious mind
  • worry

Hypernyms for the word mind

• • ability
  • aim
  • anamnesis
  • care
  • cognition
  • deal
  • design
  • handle
  • intellect
  • intellectual
  • intelligence
  • intent
  • intention
  • knowledge
  • look out
  • manage
  • noesis
  • notice
  • obey
  • object
  • observance
  • observation
  • opinion
  • persuasion
  • purpose
  • recall
  • recollection
  • remember
  • remembrance
  • reminiscence
  • sentiment
  • think about
  • think of
  • thought
  • view
  • watch
  • watch out

Antonyms for the word mind

• • forget

Idioms for the word mind

• • to change one’s mind
  • to speak one’s mind
  • make up one’s mind
  • never mind
  • blow someone’s mind

See other words

• • What is mike
  • The definition of might
  • The interpretation of the word hunter
  • What is meant by hunk
  • The lexical meaning hunger
  • The dictionary meaning of the word midterm
  • The grammatical meaning of the word midshipman
  • Meaning of the word humus
  • Literal and figurative meaning of the word middle youth
  • The origin of the word mine
  • Synonym for the word mineral
  • Antonyms for the word hussy
  • Homonyms for the word minium
  • Hyponyms for the word minstrel
  • Holonyms for the word mirage
  • Hypernyms for the word misconception
  • Proverbs and sayings for the word mismatch
  • Translation of the word in other languages misnomer