1. (n.) The transcript, image, or picture of a visible object, that is formed by the mind; also, a similar image of any object whatever, whether sensible or spiritual.

2. (n.) A general notion, or a conception formed by generalization.

3. (n.) Hence: Any object apprehended, conceived, or thought of, by the mind; a notion, conception, or thought; the real object that is conceived or thought of.

4. (n.) A belief, option, or doctrine; a characteristic or controlling principle; as, an essential idea; the idea of development.

5. (n.) A plan or purpose of action; intention; design.

6. (n.) A rational conception; the complete conception of an object when thought of in all its essential elements or constituents; the necessary metaphysical or constituent attributes and relations, when conceived in the abstract.

7. (n.) A fiction object or picture created by the imagination; the same when proposed as a pattern to be copied, or a standard to be reached; one of the archetypes or patterns of created things, conceived by the Platonists to have excited objectively from eternity in the mind of the Deity.

abstract thought act of thought admonition advice advising advocacy affective meaning aim ambition animus apprehension approach approximation arrangement aspiration assumption attack attitude awareness bare suggestion bearing belief blueprint blueprinting brainwork briefing calculation cast caution caveat cerebration charting climate of opinion clue cogitation coloring common belief community sentiment conceit concept conception conceptualization conclusion connotation consensus gentium consequence consideration construct consultation contrivance conviction council counsel creative thought dash denotation desideration desideratum design desire determination device direction disposition doctrine dream drift effect end enterprise envisagement essence estimate estimation ethos excogitation excuse exhortation explanation expostulation extension eye fancy fantasy feeling figuring fixed purpose force foresight forethought function game general belief gist gleam goal grammatical meaning graphing ground plan guess guidance guidelines half an idea hazy idea headwork heavy thinking hint hortation hypothesis ideation imageless thought impact implication import impression inkling instruction intellection intellectual exercise intellectualization intendment intension intent intention intimation judgment layout lexical meaning lick lights lineup literal meaning long-range plan look mapping master plan meaning mental act mental image mental labor mental process mentation mere notion method methodology mind monition motive mystique nisus noesis notion object objective observation operations research opinion organization outlook overtone parley perception personal judgment pertinence philosophy picture pith plan planning planning function point point of view popular belief position posture practical consequence prearrangement presumption pretense pretext prevailing belief principle procedure program program of action project proposal prospectus public belief public opinion purport purpose raison d'etre range of meaning ratiocination rational ground rationale rationalization reaction real meaning reason reason for reason why reasoning recommendation reference referent relation relevance remonstrance resolution resolve sake schedule schema schematism schematization scheme scheme of arrangement scintilla scope semantic cluster semantic field sense sentiment setup shade shadow sight significance signification significatum signifie sip smack smattering smell sneaking suspicion soupcon span of meaning spark spirit sprinkling stance stated cause straight thinking strategic plan strategy striving structural meaning study substance suggestion sum