second thoughts
73
3.6
- noun
:
dudas
- But, on second thoughts, I'll have to discharge you after all.
Now, Amy says she's having second thoughts about calling it quits.
- Now, Amy says she's having second thoughts about calling it quits.
- The last dress I'm having second thoughts about is this one from Sandro.
- And I saw a lot of stuff post like I couldn't tell whether you were having second thoughts.
- If you're looking for second thoughts from second chambers, you're looking from people with experience.
- Stylish hats, ways to time travel, The consequences of mistakes and second thoughts.
- And I want the reader to be like me, to go hand in hand with me and Jennifer Dowden and David Sanchez having first thoughts, second thoughts, third thoughts.
- But you know, on second thought, I'm like, is there normally like a like a little thing sticking out of the mail end of a PCI Express connector?
Examples
-
There is no indication that she now has second thoughts on that score.
Academic text (2016) -
Maybe he would have second thoughts and turn the car around.
Fiction book (1999) -
So on second thoughts, I am going to remove some of it.
-
I told her I was having second thoughts, and she said: I understand.
Fiction book (1999) -
Amy, are you still having second thoughts?
-
No sooner were the words out, however, than I had second thoughts.
Fiction book (1991) -
Now, at the last minute, he feels a little foolish and has second thoughts about knocking on the door.
Fiction book (1997) -
She was having second thoughts about us ending things.
-
As Anna drove into the city, she had second thoughts about leaving Consuelo alone in the house.
Fiction book (1998) -
After initially deciding to move, she had second thoughts and decided to stay.
Synonyms
35
3.6
A thought that makes you doubt or change a decision you already made
9
3.9
To think again about a decision to maybe change it
4
4.2
A time of thinking again about a decision to change it
4
2.8
A decision to take back a previous choice or opinion
Antonyms
How Doubtful
27
5.9
∞
1.6
73
4.8
73
3.6
110
2.8
2
4.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'doubts or a change of mind' is directly inferable from combining 'second' (another, subsequent) with 'thought' (an idea or consideration): i.e. having another thought about a prior decision. This compositional interpretation is straightforward and common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the two words would very likely grasp the MWE's sense.
Etymology
Second thoughts comes from the simple image of having one idea and then a second thought that makes you unsure. So it now means 'doubts' or a 'change of mind'.