Category:Dream

Dream, n. Etym: [Akin to OS. dr, D. droom, G. traum, Icel. draumr, Dan. & Sw. dröm; cf. G. trügen to deceive, Skr. druh to harm, hurt, try to hurt. AS. dreám joy, gladness, and OS. dr joy are, perh., different words; cf. Gr.

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 colored it and formed a dream. Pope. It is not them a mere dream, but a very real aim which they propose. J. C. Shairp.

dream Dream, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dreamed or Dreamt (p. pr. & vb. n. Dreaming.] Etym: [Cf. AS. dr, dr, to rejoice. See Dream, n.]

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.

dream Dream, v. t.

Defn: 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 2:17. 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" Dryden.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Dream - God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. The most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Genesis 28:12; Genesis 31:10), Laban (Genesis 31:24), Joseph (Genesis 37:9), Gideon (Judges 7), and Solomon (1 Kings 3:5). Other significant dreams are also recorded, such as those of Abimelech (Genesis 20:3), Pharaoh's chief butler and baker (Genesis 40:5), Pharaoh (Genesis 41:1), the Midianites (Judges 7:13), Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:1; Daniel 4:10, Daniel 4:18), the wise men from the east (Matthew 2:12), and Pilate's wife (Matthew 27:19). To Joseph "the Lord appeared in a dream," and gave him instructions regarding the Infant Jesus (Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:12, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19). In a vision of the night a "man of Macedonia" stood before Paul and said, "Come over into Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9; see also Acts 18:9; Acts 27:23).