Wordcyclopedia | English | apply one’s mind to

apply Verb

— If a rule, a principle, a law, etc. applies, it has some effect on the situation. The new anti-smoking law applies only to public buildings. I understand the idea, but I don't think it applies here. — If you apply for something, you formally say that you want it or you want to do it. After high school, he applied to three universities and was accepted by all of them. You have to go to the government office to apply for a passport. — If you apply something such as an idea, rule, formula, or piece of information, etc., you use it to do something, work with something, or handle a situation. I found it hard to apply the principles I learned at school to the problems I faced at work. You can't just take one rule and apply it in every situation. I applied the old saying "what goes around, comes around" to the situation and stopped myself from being mean when I didn't need to. — If you apply yourself, you focus on something and work hard at it. He's really smart, but he just has a hard time applying himself to his school work. — If you apply mathx/math to mathy/math, you put or spread mathx/math on mathy/math. It's dangerous to apply makeup while driving a car. Apply pressure to the cut until the bleeding stops. — If you apply something, you turn it on, usually by pushing something. Apply the brakes gently to stop the car without sliding. — If a word applies, it is used to mean a particular thing. The word resident applies to anyone living there.

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mind Noun

— Someone's mind is the part of them that thinks. In my mind I know I must go, but in my heart I want to stay here. We will solve this problem. We have the best minds in the country working on it.

mind Verb

— If you mind some action or thing, you feel negatively about it. "Do you mind if I sit here?" "No, not at all" "It's raining outside. You should take an umbrella" "It's OK, I don't mind the rain" — If you mind someone or something, you look after it. "Could you mind the children while I go to the bathroom?"

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to Verb phrase Subordinator

— To has no meaning. It is used to introduce verb phrases. It's important for you to understand. She told them to be quiet. You want me to do it, but I don't have to. To finish quickly, we must work fast. To continue like this would be foolish. I don't know how to get there. He got the keys to open the door. It's too small to see. You are all to be here at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Do you understand? He arrived only to find that everyone had gone home.

to Preposition

— To shows where something goes, the goal of movement. He went to her house. The train returned to the Shinjuku station. I went to bed but could not rest. They went to school together and played in the same soccer team. A squad car took him to hospital where he died. Many people came to me with suggestions. I wonder why you keep going to sea when you know it's dangerous. — To shows the receivers of an action or object. The goods were sold to customers at the downtown store. — To shows the result of a change or process. It switched from red to black. They came to the conclusion that I'm better than nothing. He fell on the play, but quickly got to his feet. He was crushed to death underneath the truck. — To shows the end or limit of something. Methods have been used to overcome these problems to some degree. The class is from 1:35 to 3:25. It's just another week to the end of classes. Right now it's ten minutes to four. — To shows that one thing is touching another. They stood back to back to see who was taller. — To shows how two things are connected. He attached the printer to the computer. She was married to a Canadian man. She was assistant to the general manager. — To shows a belonging or relationship. We don't owe anything to anyone. To whom does it belong? It's a benefit to the whole school. What's the answer to this problem? I can't remember the password to this account? — To shows a comparison between two things. Girls outnumber boys two to one. Older cars get fewer kilometers to a liter of gasoline. Right now you can get one Canadian dollar to $1.05 US. — To shows your feeling or opinion about something. It feels good to me. To their surprise, she got up and left. — To shows a timing relationship, often with a music. He likes to exercise to music.

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