bad idea
246
2.3
- noun
:
mala idea
- Deciding to skip the meeting was a bad idea that cost us the project.
- seem like a bad idea
- a very bad idea
- say it's a bad idea
Well, that could be a bad idea or a really bad idea.
- Well, that could be a bad idea or a really bad idea.
- If we cannot challenge bad ideas, bad ideas thrive.
- Oh, that was a bad idea to have hoops on.
- So you're not starting, which is always a bad idea, right?
- The way to fight bad ideas is with good ideas.
- So it's a bad idea when you don't plan it out.
- But to your point, right now, it's not a bad idea in my view.
- Cut the fucking crap and say I think that's a bad idea and here's why.
- So maybe, maybe retirement is a really bad idea for many of us.
- So we have to fight bad ideas with good ideas.
- They take bad ideas and they delete them.
- If it's your manager, yeah, bad idea, bad idea.
- Sharon believes that's a bad idea for America.
Examples
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This is such a bad idea, you guys.
-
You know the facts, and you know it's a bad idea to smoke.
Academic text (2010) -
OK, that sounds like a bad idea, right?
-
So we have to fight bad ideas with good ideas.
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Well, that could be a bad idea or a really bad idea.
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The same place most bad ideas come from, the Internet.
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The way to fight bad ideas is with good ideas.
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I still say this is a bad idea.
-
"We thought it was a bad idea to date since we work together."
Fiction book (1997) -
So this seems like a bad idea, like it gets us nowhere.
Synonyms
54
2.4
A choice that is not good and causes problems later
11
3.5
A choice that is not wise and causes problems
A very bad idea
A foolish idea that probably will not work
An idea or plan that has no chance of success
How Unwise
246
2.3
176
3.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an unwise or ill-advised suggestion/choice' is directly and predictably derived from combining 'bad' (not good) with 'idea' (suggestion/plan); the adjective simply negates the quality of the noun. This adjectival-noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows basic semantic rules, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the phrase.
Etymology
The phrase bad idea comes from calling an idea 'bad' when it will cause trouble. So, it now means a choice or plan that is 'unwise' or likely to cause problems.