the very idea
collocation in Englishmeaningsofveryandidea
These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withidea.
very
adjective[before noun]
uk/ˈver.i/us/ˈver.i/
(used to add emphasis to a noun) exact ...
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idea
noun
uk/aɪˈdɪə/us/aɪˈdiː.ə/
a suggestion or plan for ...
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(Definition ofveryandideafrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)
Examplesofthe very idea
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Theveryideaof a joint strategy was questioned.
From theCambridge English Corpus
More accurately, theveryidea(of knowing this) is incoherent.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This calls into question theveryideaof a fluid formulation.
From theCambridge English Corpus
There are, moreover, times when theveryideaof the primacy of habit over deliberation is wrong.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Instead, it promises to support and sustain the evolution of theveryideaof 'music'.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Some of the subjects had never seen paper before, so that theveryideaof paper carrying an image was foreign to them.
From theCambridge English Corpus
For this purpose, so-called flexible appropriations have replaced previously open-ended ones, which are obviously incompatible with theveryideaof an expenditure ceiling.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This issue, theveryideaof a singular divide between the material world and language, will be the focus of the following case study.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It is built into theveryidea, one could say.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This is evident, for example, in the way they go about theveryideaof incommensurable positions.
From theCambridge English Corpus
I shall clarify theveryideaof rigorous evolutionary histories in relation to the basic objection that "evolution without history" is not rigorous.
From theCambridge English Corpus
There will be some who would take issue with theveryideathat there is something problematic about this disembodiment in the first place.
From theCambridge English Corpus
I would also argue that it is rarely convincingly achieved, because of the many difficulties associated with theveryidea.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Yet, precisely for this reason, evolutionary analysis, to be influential, must overcome resistance to theveryideaof the undertaking.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theveryideathat mathematics could have some such influence is central to the story told in this paper.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Indeed, theveryideaof alternating between (1.1) and (1.2) has originated in this context.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theveryideaof material culture would then be a contradiction in terms.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theveryideaof a reserve fund, implying that the temple should be a self-financing enterprise, was inimical to his royal standing.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Most people shy away from theveryideaof a world-state.
From theCambridge English Corpus
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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