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REFERENCE

imagine

v. · n.
US //ˌɪˈmædʒən// UK //ɪmˈædʒɪn// imag·ine
  1. 1 to form a mental picture (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    to form a picture or idea in your mind of what something might be like.

    to form a mental image or concept of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.

    Example

    Close your eyes and imagine you are sitting on a warm beach.

    Example

    It is difficult for modern audiences to imagine the sheer scale of the original monument before the earthquake destroyed its upper tiers.
    Pitfall
    I can't imagine to live in a cold country.
    I can't imagine living in a cold country.

    When 'imagine' is followed by another verb, use the -ing form, not the infinitive with 'to'.

  2. 2 to suppose or believe (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to think that something is probably true, even if you are not sure.

    to suppose, assume, or conjecture; often used to introduce a tentative opinion or a polite inquiry.

    Example

    I imagine the shop will be very busy on a Saturday morning.

    Example

    I imagine that the board will require a more detailed financial breakdown before they approve such a significant increase in the marketing budget.
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  1. 3 mocking an idea (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

    you use this to suggest that an idea is silly or that someone is wrong to think it.

    used as an imperative to mock a proposition by suggesting it is absurd or poorly conceived.

    Example

    Imagine thinking that the earth is flat in this day and age.

    Example

    Imagine believing that a simple software update could resolve such a fundamental hardware flaw.

    Usage

    Often used as a standalone imperative or to start a sentence fragment mocking a specific behavior.
  2. 4 fan fiction (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Slang Informal

    a short story where the reader is a character meeting a famous person.

    a brief piece of fan fiction, often written in the second person, that places the reader in a romantic or dramatic scenario with a celebrity.

    Example

    She spent the afternoon reading a Harry Styles imagine on her phone.

    Example

    The platform is flooded with thousands of celebrity imagines, ranging from brief romantic encounters to elaborate alternate-universe dramas.
Origin

From Middle English ymagynen, from Middle French imaginer, from Latin imāginor, from imāginem, the accusative singular of imāgō (“a copy, likeness, image”).

Word family

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