notion

Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Wikipedia.

notions

sewing notions

no·tion

(nō′shən)

1. A belief or opinion: had an old-fashioned notion of what qualities were most important in a mate.

2. A mental image; an idea or conception: Do you have any notion of what I'm referring to? See Synonyms at idea.

3. An impulse or whim: I suddenly had the notion of walking by the river.

4. notions Small lightweight items for household use, such as needles, buttons, and thread.

[Middle English nocioun, concept, from Latin nōtiō, nōtiōn-, from nōtus, known, past participle of nōscere, to get to know; see gnō- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

notion

(ˈnəʊʃən)

1. a vague idea; impression

2. an idea, concept, or opinion

3. an inclination or whim

[C16: from Latin nōtiō a becoming acquainted (with), examination (of), from noscere to know]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

no•tion

(ˈnoʊ ʃən)

n.

1. a general, vague, or imperfect conception or idea.

2. an opinion, view, or belief.

3. a conception or idea: his notion of democracy.

4. a fanciful or foolish idea; whim.

5. notions, small articles, as buttons, thread, or ribbon, displayed together for sale.

[1560–70; < Latin nōtiō examination, idea <nō-, base of nōscere to come to know (see notify)]

no′tion•less, adj.

syn: See idea.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	notion - a vague idea in which some confidence is placed; "his impression of her was favorable"; "what are your feelings about the crisis?"; "it strengthened my belief in his sincerity"; "I had a feeling that she was lying" impression, belief, feeling, opinion idea, thought - the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind" presence - the impression that something is present; "he felt the presence of an evil force" effect - an impression (especially one that is artificial or contrived); "he just did it for effect" first blush - at the first glimpse or impression; "at first blush the idea possesses considerable intuitive appeal but on closer examination it fails" hunch, suspicion, intuition - an impression that something might be the case; "he had an intuition that something had gone wrong"
	2.	notion - a general inclusive concept concept, conception, construct - an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances mumpsimus - a traditional notion that is obstinately held although it is unreasonable; "he still holds to the old mumpsimus that a woman's place is in the kitchen"
	3.	notion - an odd or fanciful or capricious idea; "the theatrical notion of disguise is associated with disaster in his stories"; "he had a whimsy about flying to the moon"; "whimsy can be humorous to someone with time to enjoy it" whimsey, whimsy, whim idea, thought - the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind"
	4.	notion - (usually plural) small personal articles or clothing or sewing items; "buttons and needles are notions" article - one of a class of artifacts; "an article of clothing" ribbon - notion consisting of a narrow strip of fine material used for trimming

notion

noun

1. idea, view, opinion, belief, concept, impression, judgment, sentiment, conception, apprehension, inkling, mental image or picture, picture I disagree with the notion that violence on TV causes acts of violence in society. He has a realistic notion of his capabilities.

2. whim, wish, desire, fancy, impulse, inclination, caprice I had a whimsical notion to fly off to Rio that night.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

notion

noun

1. Something believed or accepted as true by a person:

belief, conviction, feeling, idea, mind, opinion, persuasion, position, sentiment, view.

2. That which exists in the mind as the product of careful mental activity:

concept, conception, idea, image, perception, thought.

3. An impulsive, often illogical turn of mind:

bee, boutade, caprice, conceit, fancy, freak, humor, impulse, megrim, vagary, whim, whimsy.

Idiom: bee in one's bonnet.

Translations

رَغْبَهفِكْرَهفَهْم، مَفْهوم

představachuťnápadnázorpojem

begrebidélyst

Begriff Neigung Vorstellung

idea noción concepto

idée notion

hugmyndhugmynd, skoîunlöngun, hugdetta

idea nozione

pažiūra

nodomspriekšstatsuzskats

oppfatning

pojęcie

idéia intenção noção

ideja

arzu bilgi düşünce fikir istek

奇想想法意图理解突然的念头

notion

[ˈnəʊʃən] N

1. (= idea) → idea f; (= view) → opinión f, noción f; (= whim) → capricho m
I have a notion that → tengo la idea de que ...
I had no notion that he was planning to leave → no tenía ni idea de que tuviera pensado marcharse
to have no notion of → no tener ni idea de
I haven't the slightest notion → no tengo ni idea
to have a notion to do sth → estar inclinado a hacer algo

2. notions (Sew) → artículos mpl de mercería, mercería f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

notion

[ˈnəʊʃ^ən] n

(= idea) → idée f

(= belief) → notion f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

notion

(= idea, thought) → Idee f; (= conception) → Vorstellung f, → Idee f; (= vague knowledge) → Ahnung f; (= opinion) → Meinung f, → Ansicht f; I haven’t the foggiest (inf) or slightest notion (of what he means) → ich habe keine Ahnung or nicht die leiseste Ahnung(, was er meint); I have no notion of time → ich habe überhaupt kein Zeitgefühl; to give somebody notions → jdn auf Gedanken or Ideen bringen; that gave me the notion of inviting her → das brachte mich auf die Idee or den Gedanken, sie einzuladen; where did you get the notion or what gave you the notion that I …? → wie kommst du denn auf die Idee, dass ich …?; he got the notion (into his head) that she wouldn’t help him → irgendwie hat er sich (dat) → eingebildet, sie würde ihm nicht helfen; I have a notion that … → ich habe den Verdacht, dass …

(= whim) → Idee f; to have a notion to do something → Lust haben, etw zu tun; if he gets a notion to do something, nothing can stop him → wenn er sich (dat) → etwas in den Kopf gesetzt hat, kann ihn keiner davon abhalten; she has some strange notions → sie kommt manchmal auf seltsame Ideen or Gedanken; I hit (up)on or suddenly had the notion of going to see her → mir kam plötzlich die Idee, sie zu besuchen

notions pl (esp US inf) → Kurzwaren pl

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

notion

[ˈnəʊʃ/ən] n

a. → idea; (concept) → nozione f
to have no notion of time → non avere la nozione del tempo
I haven't the slightest or foggiest notion → non ho la più pallida idea
I have no notion of what you mean → non ho la più vaga idea di cosa tu voglia dire

b. notions npl (Am) (haberdashery) → merceria

notion

(ˈnəuʃən) noun

1. understanding. I've no notion what he's talking about.

2. an uncertain belief; an idea. He has some very odd notions.

3. a desire for something or to do something. He had a sudden notion to visit his aunt.

notion

n. noción, concepto, opinión.

References in classic literature ?

Will Meno tell him his own notion, which is probably not very different from that of Gorgias?

View in context

Can any man have a higher notion of the rule of right, and the eternal fitness of things?

View in context

Asked next, if she had mentioned this notion of hers to any other person, Penelope answered, "I have not mentioned it, for Rosanna's sake." I felt it necessary to add a word to this.

View in context

In the next place, from reflecting on the circumstance that I doubted, and that consequently my being was not wholly perfect (for I clearly saw that it was a greater perfection to know than to doubt), I was led to inquire whence I had learned to think of something more perfect than myself; and I clearly recognized that I must hold this notion from some nature which in reality was more perfect.

View in context

But as the colossal skull embraces so very large a proportion of the entire extentof the skeleton; as it is by far the most complicated part; and as nothing is to be repeated concerning it in this chapter, you must not fail to carry it in your mind, or under your arm, as we proceed, otherwise you will not gain a complete notion of the general structure we are about to view.

View in context

Anatole had no notion and was incapable of considering what might come of such love-making, as he never had any notion of the outcome of any of his actions.

View in context

The present generation can have little notion of the deep impression made upon the intelligence and conscience of the whole nation by the 'Potiphar Papers,' or how its fancy was rapt with the 'Prue and I' sketches, These are among the most veritable literary successes we have had, and probably we who were so glad when the author of these beautiful things turned aside from the flowery paths where he led us, to battle for freedom in the field of politics, would have felt the sacrifice too great if we could have dreamed it would be life-long.

View in context

The traditional conception of cause and effect is one which modern science shows to be fundamentally erroneous, and requiring to be replaced by a quite different notion, that of LAWS OF CHANGE.

View in context

It was his notion that the moment one of the people took one of the truths to himself, called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it, he became a grotesque and the truth he embraced became a falsehood.

View in context

Would you like to give them such a melancholy notion of what goes on down here?

View in context

But this will just give you a notion of the general rate of drinking there."

View in context

I had looked into my affairs so often, that I had thoroughly destroyed any slight notion I might ever have had of their bearings.