past idea

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "past idea" is not commonly used in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used to refer to an idea that has already been considered or discussed in the past. Example: "The committee revisited the past idea of implementing a new marketing strategy, but ultimately decided against it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

But it's really Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga who shows how to do this "modernised past" idea best.

The Guardian

"It represents a midpoint between the future idea that everything is fragmented and the past idea that there is a beginning, a middle, and an end".

The New Yorker

In Reid's day the theory of memory endorsed by proponents of the Theory of Ideas made a similar confusion, in his opinion, by claiming that memories are mental events in which a past idea is compared to a present idea.

SEP

I feel like everything that seems new is some kind of remix or evolution from a past idea," he says. . His early influences and encounters with art play a large role in his current output as well.

Vice

This is an integral step in the accepting yourself and reframing the past idea.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

It can't grow again if it stays stuck in these past ideas.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Past ideas have been dismissed, sometimes because of cost, mostly because they were unproven and deemed unnecessary.

The New York Times - Sports

Less familiar are some Polaroid works from 1972 and '74 in which Mr. Clemente brushes past ideas that more mainstream postmodernists his age latched onto.

The New York Times

"I still struggle every day to discard my past ideas," said Pawel, a 33-year-old ultra-Orthodox Jew and former truck driver, noting with little irony that he had to stop hating Jews in order to become one.

The New York Times

All past ideas of utopia were unrealistic, because it was assumed that Malthus was right and there would never be enough physical resources for more than a tiny proportion of humanity to live in comfort.

The New Yorker

I also made a project about Bill Cosby a few years ago and I made a sweater for Amy Winehouse, so I liked the idea of bringing those past ideas together.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing the evolution of thought or innovation, use "past idea" to reference concepts that have been superseded or refined.

Common error

Avoid using "past idea" when you intend to convey that an idea has been completely forgotten or is no longer relevant. Instead, use terms like "obsolete concept" or "forgotten notion" to accurately reflect the idea's current status.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "past idea" functions as a noun phrase, where "past" modifies the noun "idea". It describes a concept or thought that existed or was considered at some earlier time. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is grammatically sound, although not extremely common.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "past idea" is a grammatically sound but relatively infrequent phrase used to refer to a concept or thought from an earlier time. As Ludwig highlighted, the phrase is recognized by the AI as acceptable, although not commonly found. It is important to distinguish between "past idea" and similar terms like "obsolete idea", as the latter carries a stronger connotation of being outdated. When writing, use "past idea" to simply denote a concept from the past, and choose alternative phrasing to convey specific nuances about its current relevance or validity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

former idea

Replaces "past" with "former", emphasizing that the idea is no longer current.

previous notion

Substitutes "idea" with "notion", offering a slightly more formal alternative.

earlier concept

Uses "earlier" and "concept" to convey the idea's temporal positioning.

outdated concept

Replaces "past" with "outdated", highlighting the idea's lack of relevance.

preceding idea

Uses preceding to indicate the temporal order of the idea

bygone thought

Emphasizes the idea's antiquated or outdated nature using "bygone" and "thought".

superseded idea

Highlights that the "idea" was substituted by a better one.

old theory

Specifies the "idea" as a "theory" that is no longer current.

rejected concept

Highlights the fact that the "idea" was turned down.

abandoned thought

Indicates that the idea was considered but later discarded.

FAQs

How can I use "past idea" in a sentence?

You can use "past idea" to refer to a concept or thought that was previously considered but is no longer in use. For example, "The team revisited the "past idea" of remote work before implementing the new policy."

What is a good alternative for "past idea"?

Alternatives include "former idea", "previous concept", or "earlier notion", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "past idea" the same as "obsolete idea"?

While related, "past idea" simply indicates an idea from the past, whereas "obsolete idea" implies that the idea is no longer useful or relevant. "Obsolete idea" carries a stronger connotation of being outdated and impractical.

When is it appropriate to use "past idea" instead of "historical concept"?

"Past idea" is suitable when referring to a specific thought or concept that was considered at some point, whereas "historical concept" typically refers to broader ideas or movements that have shaped history. "Historical concept" carries a greater weight and scope than ""past idea"".