We need to come up with a new strategy. Let's put on our thinking caps and brainstorm some ideas.
word origin — From English schools in the 1800s — special caps were worn during difficult lessons to encourage concentration.
put on your thinking cap, a penny for your thoughts, think outside the box, rack your brain, split hairs: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 idioms from Idioms set 21. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
put on your thinking cap · idiom/pʊt ɔn jʊr ˈθɪŋkɪŋ kæp/
to start thinking seriously about something
We need to come up with a new strategy. Let's put on our thinking caps and brainstorm some ideas.
Origin: From English schools in the 1800s — special caps were worn during difficult lessons to encourage concentration.
a penny for your thoughts · idiom/ə ˈpɛni fɚ jʊr θɔts/
asking someone what they are thinking
You've been so quiet. A penny for your thoughts?
Origin: Coined by Thomas More in 1535 — a small playful offer to buy someone's silent thoughts and bring them out.
think outside the box · idiom/θɪŋk aʊtˈsaɪd ðə bɑks/
to think creatively and differently from the usual way
To solve this issue, we need to think outside the box and come up with something innovative.
Origin: From a 1970s puzzle where solvers had to draw outside an imagined boundary to solve the nine-dot problem.
rack your brain · idiom/ræk jʊr breɪn/
to think hard about something to remember or solve it
I've been racking my brain trying to remember where I put my keys!
Origin: From the medieval torture device 'the rack' — straining one's mind compared to stretching a body in pain.
split hairs · idiom/splɪt hɛrz/
to argue about small, unimportant details
Stop splitting hairs over minor details and focus on the bigger picture!
Origin: From the 1600s — hair is already extremely thin, so splitting it is an image of pointless tiny distinctions.