ENGLISH
REFERENCE

Jedi mind trick

idiom
Meaning

A mental feat such as apparently inducing someone to act a certain way or reading someone's mind, achieved as if by magic or telepathy.


Origin

first recorded 20th c.

From the Star Wars films, the first of which—Star Wars—was released in 1977. In the films, members of the Jedi order are able to use a metaphysical power called the Force to implant suggestions in other people’s minds to induce them to act as the Jedi wish.

Examples
SIMPLE

He used a Jedi mind trick to get me to buy lunch.

CONTEXTUAL

The salesperson tried a Jedi mind trick to convince me that I needed the expensive upgrade.

COMPLEX

She employed a subtle Jedi mind trick, skillfully steering the conversation until I agreed to her terms without even realizing it.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bear in mind

    To hold (something) in the memory; to remember; also, to be mindful of or pay attention to (something); to consider; to note.

  2. 02

    blow someone's mind

    To astonish someone; to flabbergast someone.

  3. 03

    bored out of one's mind

    Extremely bored.

  4. 04

    cast one's mind back

    To try to remember a particular time or event; to think about something in the past.

  5. 05

    change one's mind

    To decide differently than one had decided before.

  6. 06

    change someone's mind

    To convince someone to make a choice or develop a preference differing from their previous one.

  7. 07

    close one's mind

    To refuse to understand things.

  8. 08

    come to mind

    To appear in one's thoughts.

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