dream

/driːm/

noun

  1. a series of thoughts, images, and feelings that you experience while you are asleep

    A2

    countable

    • "I had a bad dream last night."A1
    • "She often has strange dreams."A2
    • "The dream felt so real that I woke up confused."B1

  2. something that you strongly hope to achieve or that you imagine happening in the future

    B1

    countable; often used with of

    • "Her dream is to become a doctor."A2
    • "He never gave up on his dream of opening a restaurant."B1
    • "For many people, owning a home remains a distant dream."C1

verb

  1. to experience thoughts, images, or feelings while you are asleep

    A2

    intransitive; dream of/about; [+ that clause]

    • "I dreamed about a cat."A1
    • "She dreams every night."A2
    • "I dreamed that I was flying over the city."B1

  2. to hope or imagine something that you want very much

    B1

    intransitive; dream of/about + -ing; [+ that clause]

    • "She dreams of becoming a singer."A2
    • "I never dreamed I would win."B1
    • "They dreamt of a fairer society."C1

Common mistakes

  • I dream to become a doctor.→I dream of becoming a doctor.

    Use dream of/about + the -ing form, not dream + to-infinitive.

Collocations

bad dreamdream come truedream jobsweet dreamspipe dreamdream uphave a dreamdream of

Word family

dreamerdreamydaydreamdreamlikedreamless