mental
♦ men|tal /m'entəl/
1 [ADJ] ADJ n
Mental means relating to the process of thinking.
...the mental development of children.
...intensive mental effort.
● mentally [ADV] ADV adj/adv, ADV with v, ADV with cl
I think you are mentally tired...
Physically I might not have been overseas but mentally and spiritually I was with them.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
Mental means relating to the state or the health of a person's mind.
The mental state that had created her psychosis was no longer present.
...mental health problems.
● mentally [ADV] usu ADV with cl/group, also ADV after v
...an inmate who is mentally disturbed.
...the needs of the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped.
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
A mental act is one that involves only thinking and not physical action.
Practise mental arithmetic when you go out shopping...
● mentally [ADV] ADV with v
This technique will help people mentally organize information.
4 [ADJ]
If you say that someone is mental, you mean that you think they are mad. (BRIT INFORMAL)
I just said to him `you must be mental'.
= crazy, mad
5 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR of n, PHR to-inf
If you make a mental note of something, you make an effort to store it in your memory so that you will not forget it.
She made a mental note to have his prescription refilled.men|tal age (mental ages)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
A person's mental age is the age which they are considered to have reached in their ability to think or reason.men|tal hos|pi|tal (mental hospitals)
[N-COUNT]
A mental hospital is a hospital for people who are suffering from mental illness.
1 [ADJ] ADJ n
Mental means relating to the process of thinking.
...the mental development of children.
...intensive mental effort.
● mentally [ADV] ADV adj/adv, ADV with v, ADV with cl
I think you are mentally tired...
Physically I might not have been overseas but mentally and spiritually I was with them.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
Mental means relating to the state or the health of a person's mind.
The mental state that had created her psychosis was no longer present.
...mental health problems.
● mentally [ADV] usu ADV with cl/group, also ADV after v
...an inmate who is mentally disturbed.
...the needs of the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped.
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
A mental act is one that involves only thinking and not physical action.
Practise mental arithmetic when you go out shopping...
● mentally [ADV] ADV with v
This technique will help people mentally organize information.
4 [ADJ]
If you say that someone is mental, you mean that you think they are mad. (BRIT INFORMAL)
I just said to him `you must be mental'.
= crazy, mad
5 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR of n, PHR to-inf
If you make a mental note of something, you make an effort to store it in your memory so that you will not forget it.
She made a mental note to have his prescription refilled.men|tal age (mental ages)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
A person's mental age is the age which they are considered to have reached in their ability to think or reason.men|tal hos|pi|tal (mental hospitals)
[N-COUNT]
A mental hospital is a hospital for people who are suffering from mental illness.