English Reference
Idiom idiom

have sb/sth in mind


to be thinking of a specific person, thing, or plan for a particular purpose.


SIMPLE

“I have a specific gift in mind for your birthday.”

CONTEXTUAL

“The manager has a few candidates in mind for the new position, but she wants to interview more people first.”

COMPLEX

“Although the architect had a minimalist design in mind for the library, the committee insisted on adding several elaborate, traditional features to the final structure.”

Last updated April 22, 2026