Synonyms

think tank

think tank

noun
a research institute or organization employed to solve complex problems or predict or plan future developments, as in military, political, or social areas.
Also called think factory.


Origin:
1900–05 for earlier sense “brain”; 1955–60 for current sense
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Think tank is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

think tank definition


An institution in which scholars pursue research in public policy. Largely funded by endowments and grants, think tanks work to improve public awareness of policy issues (through publications) and to influence the government to act upon issues of national importance. (See power elite.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary

think-tank definition


  1. n.
    a place where great minds are assembled to try to think up solutions to problems or to envision the future. : She spent a few months in a California think-tank, then came back to teach.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

think tank

A group or organization dedicated to problem-solving and research, especially in such areas as technology, social or political strategy, and the military. For example, The congressional leaders rely too heavily on that conservative think tank. This term originated about 1900 as a facetious colloquialism for brain and was given its new meaning about 1950.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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