mind

Etymology

From Middle English minde, münde, ȝemünde, from Old English mynd, ġemynd (“memory”), from Proto-West Germanic *mundi, *gamundi, from Proto-Germanic *mundiz, *gamundiz (“memory, remembrance”), from Proto-Indo-European *méntis (“thought”) (compare also mantis, via Greek), from the root *men- (“to think”). Cognate with Old High German gimunt (“mind, memory”), Danish minde (“memory”), Swedish minne (“memory”), Icelandic minni (“memory, recall, recollection”), Gothic 𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍃 (munds, “memory, mind”), Latin mēns (“mind, reason”), Sanskrit मनस् (mánas), Ancient Greek μένος (ménos), Albanian mënd (“mind, reason”). Doublet of mantra. Related to Old English myntan (“to mean, intend, purpose, determine, resolve”). More at mint.

noun

1. The capability for rational thought.
   Despite advancing age, his mind was still as sharp as ever.
2. The ability to be aware of things.
   There was no doubt in his mind that they would win.
3. The ability to remember things.
   My mind just went blank.
4. The ability to focus the thoughts.
   I can’t keep my mind on what I’m doing.
5. Somebody that embodies certain mental qualities.
   He was one of history’s greatest minds.
   That's far from the promised land set out in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, that the railways would have a guiding mind that would be in control of the industry's finances. Businesses have what is called a profit and loss account, showing both revenue and costs, but the current situation means that the two sides of the system are in different hands - and neither is (as yet) in the hands of a 'guiding mind'. November 16 2022, Christian Wolmar, “Can Merriman use his rail knowledge to make a difference?”, in RAIL, number 970, page 45
6. Judgment, opinion, or view.
   He changed his mind after hearing the speech.
7. Desire, inclination, or intention.
   She had a mind to go to Paris.
   I have half a mind to do it myself.
   I am of a mind to listen.
   Although Miss Pross, through her long association with a French family, might have known as much of their language as of her own, if she had had a mind, she had no mind in that direction […] So her manner of marketing was to plump a noun-substantive at the head of a shopkeeper without any introduction in the nature of an article […] 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
8. A healthy mental state.
   I, ______ being of sound mind and body, do hereby[…]
   You are losing your mind.
9. (philosophy) The non-material substance or set of processes in which consciousness, perception, affectivity, judgement, thinking, and will are based.
   The mind is a process of the brain.
   Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it. 1699, William Temple, Heads designed for an essay on conversations
   The mind is that part of our being which thinks and wills, remembers and reasons; we know nothing of it except from these functions. 1854, Samuel Knaggs, Unsoundness of Mind Considered in Relation to the Question of Responsibility for Criminal Acts, page 19
10. Continual prayer on a dead person's behalf for a period after their death.
    a month's [or monthly] mind; a year's mind
11. (uncountable) Attention, consideration or thought.
    They are the “tars” who give mind to the spreading sail, and their bold courage is the pabulum which will preserve our sea-girt isle in its vernal green to furthest posterity. 1849, Eliza Cook, Eliza Cook’s Journal,p.119, volume 1
    Then he, having mind of Beelzebub, the god of flies, fled without a halt homewards; but, falling in the coo's loan, broke two ribs and a collar bone, the whilk misfortune was much blessed to his soul. 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide
    If you get a “trolling” comment, delete it, do not respond to it, and move forward immediately without paying any further mind. 2014, Jolie O'Dell, Blogging for Photographers, page 66

verb

1. To bring or recall to mind; to remember; bear or keep in mind.
   Mind to-morrow's early meeting! 1878, Robert Browning, La Saisiaz, line 70
2. (now regional) To remember.
   The land where I shall mind you not / Is the land where all's forgot. 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, XXXVII, lines 25-26
3. (obsolete or dialectal) To remind; put one's mind on.
   1684-1690, Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth I desire to mind those persons of what Saint Austin hath said.
   I shall only mind him, that the contrary supposition, if it could be proved, is of little use. 1689, John Locke, “Of True and False Ideas”, in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
4. To turn one's mind to; to observe; to notice.
5. To regard with attention; to treat as of consequence.
   It's the worst thing that can ever happen to you in all your life, and you've got to mind it—you've got to mind it. They'll come saying, 'Bear up—trust to time.' No, no; they're wrong. Mind it. 1907 E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part I, V [Uniform ed., p. 63]
6. (chiefly imperative) To pay attention or heed to so as to obey; hence to obey; to make sure, to take care (that).
   Mind you don't knock that glass over.
7. (now rare except in phrases) To pay attention to, in the sense of occupying one's mind with, to heed.
   You should mind your own business.
   Upon my coming down, I found all the Children of the Family got about my old Friend, and my Landlady herself, who is a notable prating Gossip, engaged in a Conference with him; being mightily pleased with his stroaking her little Boy upon the Head, and bidding him be a good Child and mind his Book. 1712, Joseph Addison, Spectator, No. 383 (May 20, 1710
   Should you ever have a son, Sansa, beat him frequently so he learns to mind you. 2000, George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords, Bantam, published 2011, page 84
8. To look after, to take care of, especially for a short period of time.
   Would you mind my bag for me?
9. To be careful about.
   Bank Underground Station, London, is built on a curve, leaving a potentially dangerous gap between platform and carriage to trap the unwary. The loudspeaker voice instructs passengers to "Mind the gap": the boundary between train and platform. 2005, Gillie Bolton, Reflective Practice: Writing And Professional Development, page xv
10. (now obsolete outside dialect) To purpose, intend, plan.
11. (UK, Ireland) Take note; used to point out an exception or caveat.
    I'm not very healthy. I do eat fruit sometimes, mind.
12. (originally and chiefly in negative or interrogative constructions) To dislike, to object to; to be bothered by.
    I wouldn't mind an ice cream right now.
    Do you mind if I smoke?