illusionil‧lu‧sion /ɪˈluːʒən/ ●○○ noun [countable] 
They suffer from the illusion that they cannot solve their problems. She was under no illusion that he loved her. It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter. She had no illusions about her physical attractiveness. ‘I hate to shatter your illusions,’ he said.2something that seems to be different from the way it really isillusion of He was unlikely to be satisfied with the illusion of power.give/create an illusion The mirrors in the room gave an illusion of greater space. Credit creates the illusion that you can own things without paying for them. → optical illusion
WORD ORIGINillusion
Origin:
1300-1400 French, Latin illusio, from illudere ‘to make fun of’, from ludere ‘to play’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Alcohol gives some people the illusion of being witty and confident.
- It's a small room, but the mirrors create an illusion of space.
- People had bought these houses under the illusion that their value would just keep on rising.
- She isn't particularly tall, but her upright posture gives an illusion of height.
- She thought he loved her but it was just an illusion.
- The road appears to get narrower as you look into the distance, but it's just an illusion.
- There seems to be a widespread illusion that there are no class barriers anymore.
- Carter was well aware of these problems when he was approached by Vance, and had no illusions about the job.
- Even better this year than last, though maybe that's just an illusion.
- Even better, the full Coliseum will not be an optical illusion.
- Farther west is the Hudson River, creating the illusion that ocean liners occasionally sail down the street.
- Professor Gregory is distinguished for his studies in experimental psychology, most notably in visual perception and the nature of visual illusions.
- The whole thing is just a gigantic illusion.
- Through this process of the return to the mean or average, the superbly intelligent, highly motivated race remains an illusion.
Longman Language Activatorsomething that someone believes that is definitely not true
a belief or idea that is false, especially a belief in something good about yourself or about the situation you are in: · She thought he loved her but it was just an illusion.· Alcohol gives some people the illusion of being witty and confident.illusion that: · There seems to be a widespread illusion that there are no class barriers anymore.under an illusion: · People had bought these houses under the illusion that their value would just keep on rising.
something that a lot of people believe but which is completely untrue: · The idea that a good night's sleep will cure everything is a complete fallacy.· It's a fallacy that all fat people are fat simply because they eat too much.
something a lot of people believe because they want to believe it, not because it is based on fact: · The first myth about motherhood is that new mothers instantly fall in love with their babies.· It is a myth that battered women deserve or want to be beaten.
a completely mistaken idea about yourself or the situation you are in, especially one that everyone else knows is wrong: · She now had to finally forget the dreams and delusions of her youthunder a delusion: · I was still under the delusion that everyone was trying to cheat me.
a belief you have that is wrong, although you do not realize it is wrong at the time when you have it: · When I started as a teacher I had the mistaken belief that all kids are interested in learning.
something that is not true but which people believe because they do not have all the facts or they have not properly understood the situation: · No, it's not actually true that rail travel is more expensive - that's a misconception.misconception that: · Employers seem to share the general misconception that young people are more efficient than older workers.
a popular belief or piece of advice that has existed for a long time but which you think is stupid: · It's not true that if trees have a lot of fruit in the autumn it will be a cold winter - that's just an old wives' tale.
something you think you see that is not really there an experience of seeing something which is not really there, for example because you have been taking drugs or because you are ill: suffer/have hallucinations: · I suffered horrendous hallucinations and flashbacks, and quit using LSD.· In tests, the drug caused patients to have hallucinations.
something that you imagine you can see, that is either not there at all, or is actually something else: · The road appears to get narrower as you look into the distance, but it's just an illusion.give/create an illusion of something: · It's a small room, but the mirrors create an illusion of space.· She isn't particularly tall, but her upright posture gives an illusion of height.
something, especially an area of water in a desert, that you think you can see in the distance but which is not really there, caused by hot air conditions: · She thought at first it must be the edge of the sea, then realised it was a mirage.· an eerie no-man's land where travellers see mirages
something that you imagine you can see, especially as part of a strong religious experience: · In her vision, Joan of Arc saw an angel telling her to go and fight for France.vision of: · Three days before she died, Rita was blessed with a vision of Our Lord.have visions : · Many people claim to have had visions while praying at Lourdes.
spoken to imagine that you are seeing something that is not there - use this especially to say that you are so surprised at something that you see that you almost cannot believe it: · I thought I saw Patty arrive. I must be seeing things today.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY She was under no illusion that he loved her. It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter. She had no illusions about her physical attractiveness. The mirrors in the room gave an illusion of greater space.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1an idea or opinion that is wrong, especially about yourselfillusion that She was under no illusion that he loved her. It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter. She had no illusions about her physical attractiveness. The mirrors in the room gave an illusion of greater space. (=make someone realise their beliefs are wrong)· I hate to be the one to shatter your illusions, but you’re wrong.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· For once, the optical illusion experienced by sailors leaving port seemed apt.· This is called an optical illusion, which means that your eyes trick you into seeing something that is not really there.· Shiseido's Wrinkle Smoothing Concentrate works on the principle of an optical illusion.· Even better, the full Coliseum will not be an optical illusion.· It was probably an optical illusion, but the place seemed to be flying more eagles and swastikas than stars and stripes.· Most argued that the canals were optical illusions, and that Mars was a cold, waterless, radiation-baked world.· This is an optical illusion in which the diagram of a skeleton cube appears to the observer in either of two orientations.· Even knowing what he did, Kirov found it difficult to see how the optical illusion had been managed.
NOUN· Some saw the irrational spectre of money illusion lurking menacingly in the wings.· Capitalists are smart enough not to suffer from money illusion.· The irrational spectre of money illusion is often seen to lie behind the complex facade of income-expenditure models derived from the system.
VERB· His remedy was to divide the garden with a wicker arch into two sections, to create an illusion of space.· First, the leader has or creates the illusion of a track record of success.· Pool will use the outer planets to create the illusion of a nova.· The approach of many a trainee, therefore, was to create the illusion of desirability.· The eccentric shape of the room made a cranny, and here he could create the illusion of solitude.· Of course, the anchor has had plenty of help from plenty of crafts people in creating the illusion of calm omniscience.· The fields interlace on screen to create the illusion of full pictures.· It needed gobs of honey or molasses along with a big wad of butter to create the illusion of good eating.
· Political warfare fosters the illusion of an active system full of excitement and competition.
· It gave an illusion of space and space meant freedom.· You are given the illusion you can do it without an expenditure of a lot of your own time.· Nigel was ostentatiously smoking a big cigar to give an illusion of poise.· It gives them the illusion of divine aura.· The shorts were pleated about the waist and flared widely, giving an illusion of being a too short skirt.· Informal resistance against formal organisation gives the illusion of regaining control.· Charles stressed that Aimee's hair would look especially striking if it was darkened and enriched to give the illusion of body.· However, the container is likely to be tapered towards the top and striped, giving the illusion of quantity.
· The nitrous-oxide bottle is hidden under the rear hugger to maintain the illusion that the bike is standard.· Some people who shop resale stores enjoy maintaining the illusion that they can afford full-price designer wear.· This maintains the important illusion that one has stepped into a warm stream in a lush tropical forest.· The me directs these chains in keeping with its desire to maintain the illusion of wholeness and continuity.
· Rape offers the illusion of complete control, obtained either by a weapon, physical or verbal intimidation or drugging.
· However the motion of the car shatters any illusion that you are travelling through space!· It would shatter the illusion he was trying to create of having a unique grasp of this new warrant business.· Let us not shatter that illusion for a week or so.· Mourning shatters the illusions of self-sufficiency and breaks through the blindness of self-containment.
They suffer from the illusion that they cannot solve their problems. She was under no illusion that he loved her. It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter. She had no illusions about her physical attractiveness. ‘I hate to shatter your illusions,’ he said.2something that seems to be different from the way it really isillusion of He was unlikely to be satisfied with the illusion of power.give/create an illusion The mirrors in the room gave an illusion of greater space. Credit creates the illusion that you can own things without paying for them. → optical illusion