grand idea
4
4.0
- noun
:
gran idea
- His grand idea of creating a space for artists to collaborate was met with enthusiasm from the community.
- come up with grand ideas
- grand ideas for projects
- What a grand idea
Examples
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Look, it sounds a grand idea to have all these great men to choose from, but what did they know of our problems today?
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Well, the grand idea didn't really go off as planned thanks to the 2 mini-mes.
Blog text (16) -
What a grand idea, Mama!
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What a grand idea, and you two carried it off perfectly!
Blog text (1) -
Generations United has many grand ideas for all people of all ages to celebrate this special day.
Blog text (15) -
Folks, doesn't that sound like a grand idea?
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Why, that's a grand idea!
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It's a grand idea.
Academic text (2016) -
But to Christina's amazement, the Shevvingtons said, "What a grand idea!"
Fiction book (1990) -
After years of dreaming, she finally turned her grand idea for a sustainable garden into reality.
Synonyms
41
3.2
An important plan or reason that guides a project
19
5.1
A very large, ambitious plan with many parts to achieve big goals
3
5.1
A big plan for the future to make a large change
A very clever, impressive idea that people admire
How Ambitious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an ambitious or impressive concept' is directly derivable from combining 'grand' (magnificent, imposing) with 'idea' (a plan or concept). This adjective + noun composition follows standard, cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Grand idea comes from the simple image of grand meaning very big or showy and idea meaning a thought; picture someone drawing a giant plan on a wall. So, it means 'an ambitious or impressive concept'.