great minds think alike

great minds think alike
Used ironically. Both verb and noun have changed in the course of this proverb’s history, the earliest instance of the present form thus far discovered being quot. 1898. Jump used absolutely in the sense of ‘agree completely’ or ‘coincide’ is now archaic.

1618 D. BELCHIER Hans Beer-Pot D1 Though he made that verse, Those words were made before... Good wits doe iumpe.

1761 STERNE Tristram Shandy III. ix. Great wits jump: for the moment Dr. Slop cast his eyes upon his bag..the very same thought occurred.

1889 A. JAMES Journal 1 Dec. (1964) 61 As great minds jump this proves..that my Mind is Great!

1898 C. G. ROBERTSON Voces Academicae 24 Curious how great minds think alike. My pupil wrote me the same explanation about his non-appearance.

1922 Punch 27 Dec. 601 Lord Riddell considers that Mr. H. G. Wells is one of the world’s greatest minds. Great minds, as the saying is, think alike.

2002 Washington Times 28 May C9 (Bottomliners cartoon) ‘Great minds think alike—that’s why we’re never in agreement.’


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  • Great minds (think alike). — Great minds (think alike). humorous something that you say when someone else has the same idea as you or makes the same suggestion. Why don t we take a walk before dinner? I was just going to say the same thing. Ah, great minds think alike …   New idioms dictionary

  • great minds think alike — If two people have the same thought at the same time, one of them might say Great minds think alike …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • great minds think alike — humorous phrase used for saying that you are both very clever when you and another person have the same idea Thesaurus: ways of agreeing with someonesynonym Main entry: mind * * * great ˌminds think aˈlike idiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • Great Minds think Alike — intelligent people think in a similar way, GMTA (on the Internet) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • great minds think alike — humorous used for saying that you are both very clever when you and another person have the same idea …   English dictionary

  • great — great1 W1S1 [greıt] adj comparative greater superlative greatest ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(large)¦ 2¦(excellent)¦ 3¦(important)¦ 4¦(generous)¦ 5¦(extremely skilful)¦ 6¦(big)¦ 7¦(doing something a lot)¦ 8 …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • great — great1 W1S1 [greıt] adj comparative greater superlative greatest ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(large)¦ 2¦(excellent)¦ 3¦(important)¦ 4¦(generous)¦ 5¦(extremely skilful)¦ 6¦(big)¦ 7¦(doing something a lot)¦ 8 …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • alike — a|like1 [əˈlaık] adj [not before noun] [: Old English; Origin: onlic, from on + lic body ] very similar ▪ My mother and I are alike in many ways. alike 2 alike2 adv 1.) in a similar way ▪ The twins were dressed alike. →great minds think alike …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • great — see a great book is a great evil great minds think alike great oaks from little acorns grow death is the great leveller little strokes fell great oaks little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • think — see think first and speak afterwards think global, act local think twice, cut once evil to him who evil thinks great minds think alike the fat man knoweth not what the lean thinketh …   Proverbs new dictionary

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