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Dream

1. The thoughts, or series of thoughts, or imaginary transactions, which occupy the mind during sleep; a sleeping vision. Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes. (Dryden) I had a dream which was not all a dream. (Byron)

2. A visionary scheme; a wild conceit; an idle fancy; a vagary; a revery; in this sense, applied to an imaginary or anticipated state of happiness; as, a dream of bliss; the dream of his youth. There sober thought pursued the amusing theme, till fancy coloured it and formed a dream. (Pope) It is not them a mere dream, but a very real aim which they propose. (j. C. Shairp)

Origin: akin to os. Drm, D. Droom, g. Traum, Icel. Draumr, dan. & Sw. Drom; cf. G. Trugen to deceive, Skr. Druh to harm, hurt, try to hurt. As. Dream joy, gladness, and os. Drm joy are, perh, different words; cf. Gr. Noise.

1. To have ideas or images in the mind while in the state of sleep; to experience sleeping visions; often with of; as, to dream of a battle, or of an absent friend.

2. To let the mind run on in idle revery or vagary; to anticipate vaguely as a coming and happy reality; to have a visionary notion or idea; to imagine. Here may we sit and dream Over the heavenly theme. (Keble) They dream on in a constant course of reading, but not digesting. (Locke)

Origin: cf. As. Drman, drman, to rejoice. See dream.

to have a dream of; to see, or have a vision of, in sleep, or in idle fancy; often followed by an objective clause. Your old men shall dream dreams. (acts II. 17) At length in sleep their bodies they compose, And dreamt the future fight. (Dryden) And still they dream that they shall still succeed. (Cowper) to dream away, out, through, etc, to pass in revery or inaction; to spend in idle vagaries; as, to dream away an hour; to dream through life. why does Antony dream out his hours?