imagination

i|mag|i|na|tion [ ı,mædʒı`neıʃn ] noun **

1. ) count or uncount the ability to think of clever and original ideas, possibilities, or solutions:

lack of imagination: The speaker's visual aids showed a remarkable lack of imagination.

have the imagination to do something: They didn't have the necessary imagination to deal with complex problems.

use your imagination: Try to use your imagination when planning main meals.

a ) the ability to form a picture, story, or idea in your mind:

vivid/fertile/overactive imagination (=a strong imagination): a child with a vivid imagination

b ) the ability to think, feel, or believe something that is not real or true:

The problem was all in his imagination.

Was he scared, or was it just my imagination?

2. ) uncount a feeling of interest and excitement about something:

Part of my job is to try to stimulate the student's imagination.

catch someone's imagination: Their policies have really caught the public's imagination.

leave something to someone's imagination

to show or describe some but not all of something, because people can easily imagine what the rest is like:

He saw his wife with another man... I'll leave the rest to your imagination!

not leave much/leave little to the imagination

to show or describe so much of something that people do not have to imagine what the rest is like. This expression is used especially for talking about sex or about people who show parts of their bodies:

a very low-cut dress that didn't leave much to the imagination

use your imagination INFORMAL

used for telling someone that the answer to a question is very obvious and does not need to be given

=> FIGMENT, STRETCH 2