Collocations for dream - noun
1. while you are asleep
ADJECTIVE
awful,
bad,
disturbing,
horrible,
terrible
a child frightened by a bad dream
a child frightened by a bad dream
bizarre,
odd,
strange,
weird
fevered
pleasant
lucid, vivid
erotic, wet
recurrent, recurring
prophetic
He had a prophetic dream about a train crash the night before the disaster.
fevered
pleasant
lucid, vivid
erotic, wet
recurrent, recurring
prophetic
He had a prophetic dream about a train crash the night before the disaster.
day (usually daydream),
waking
His waking dream was rudely interrupted by the telephone.
His waking dream was rudely interrupted by the telephone.
VERB + dream
dream,
have
She fell asleep and dreamed strange dreams.
I had a very disturbing dream last night.
She fell asleep and dreamed strange dreams.
I had a very disturbing dream last night.
awake from,
wake from
be awoken from, be woken from
I was awoken from my dream by a knock at the door.
be awoken from, be woken from
I was awoken from my dream by a knock at the door.
remember
I hardly ever remember my dreams.
I hardly ever remember my dreams.
interpret
haunt, invade, plague
Images of the crash still haunted his dreams years later.
haunt, invade, plague
Images of the crash still haunted his dreams years later.
dream + VERB
come true
I hope my dream about prison won't come true!
I hope my dream about prison won't come true!
haunt sb,
plague sb
vivid dreams that regularly haunted him
She is plagued by strange dreams.
vivid dreams that regularly haunted him
She is plagued by strange dreams.
fade,
fade away
She opened her eyes and the dream faded.
She opened her eyes and the dream faded.
PREPOSITION
in a/the dream
In her dream, she was on board a ship heading for America.
In her dream, she was on board a ship heading for America.
dream about
a recurrent dream about being late for an exam
a recurrent dream about being late for an exam
PHRASES
as (if) in a dream
She found herself standing in front of the crowded hall and making her speech, as if in a dream.
She found herself standing in front of the crowded hall and making her speech, as if in a dream.
sweet dreams
‘Sweet dreams!’ she said, turning off the light.
‘Sweet dreams!’ she said, turning off the light.
2. sth that you want very much to happen
ADJECTIVE
big,
great
Her biggest dream was to become a singer.
Her biggest dream was to become a singer.
lifelong,
long-held
her lifelong dream of swimming with dolphins
her lifelong dream of swimming with dolphins
boyhood,
childhood
distant
His plans to travel the world now seemed like a distant dream.
distant
His plans to travel the world now seemed like a distant dream.
crazy,
impossible
Peace no longer seemed an impossible dream.
Peace no longer seemed an impossible dream.
pipe
He spent his life chasing pipe dreams (= fantasies that are unlikely to come true).
He spent his life chasing pipe dreams (= fantasies that are unlikely to come true).
unfulfilled,
unrealized
broken, shattered
utopian
romantic
She had this romantic dream of living in a windmill.
broken, shattered
utopian
romantic
She had this romantic dream of living in a windmill.
VERB + dream
cherish,
have
the great utopian dream that they have cherished for so long
the great utopian dream that they have cherished for so long
achieve,
fulfil/fulfill,
live,
live out,
realize
At last his dreams were fulfilled.
By this stage in my life I expected to be living the dream.
At last his dreams were fulfilled.
By this stage in my life I expected to be living the dream.
chase,
follow,
pursue
He left his job to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant.
He left his job to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant.
abandon
He never abandoned his dream of finding his real mother.
He never abandoned his dream of finding his real mother.
crush,
shatter
The injury shattered her dream of running in the Olympics.
The injury shattered her dream of running in the Olympics.
keep alive
The victory keeps San Marino's dream of a World Cup place alive.
The victory keeps San Marino's dream of a World Cup place alive.
dream + VERB
come true
He put all his efforts into making his dream of a united country come true.
He put all his efforts into making his dream of a united country come true.
turn into a nightmare,
turn sour
(esp. BrE)
Their dream turned into a nightmare as the ship began to sink.
Their dream turned into a nightmare as the ship began to sink.
dream + NOUN
holiday (BrE),
home,
house,
job,
vacation
(AmE)
After Betty retired, she designed and built her dream house.
After Betty retired, she designed and built her dream house.
land (usually dreamland),
world
The government is living in a dream world if they think voters will agree to higher taxes.
The government is living in a dream world if they think voters will agree to higher taxes.
PHRASES
the American dream
Born a poor boy in Kansas, he lived the American dream as a successful inventor.
Born a poor boy in Kansas, he lived the American dream as a successful inventor.
the … of sb's dreams
the house of her dreams
the girl of his dreams
the house of her dreams
the girl of his dreams
beyond sb's wildest dreams
They achieved a success beyond their wildest dreams.
They achieved a success beyond their wildest dreams.
a dream come true
Their cruise in the Bahamas was a dream come true.
Their cruise in the Bahamas was a dream come true.
hopes and dreams
She confided in him all her hopes and dreams.
She confided in him all her hopes and dreams.
live the dream
At last I feel I'm living the dream.
At last I feel I'm living the dream.