practical

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a (kind of) turn of mind

A particular way of considering, thinking about, or approaching things in one's life. My dad always had a very pragmatic turn of mind, so everything he did had to be weighed against how it would benefit him and the family. With the release of his new non-fiction book about international policy, the star athlete has been revealing a surprisingly intellectual turn of mind. Thank goodness Liz has had a more sensible turn of mind and no longer spends most of her money on expensive things she doesn't need.

a practical joke

A mischievous trick typically involving some physical action or object intended to make someone look or feel foolish. We hid a rubber snake in the fridge as a practical joke so that it would scare Mom or Dad when they went in for something to eat. We were going to play a practical joke on David, but he noticed our car parked out front—that ruined it. It turns out that the supposed alien visitors that people had been seeing were just a bunch of teenagers playing a practical joke.

for (all) practical purposes

In reality; basically. For all practical purposes, I might as well have not handed in this proposal at all, with how swiftly the board rejected it.

play a practical joke (on one)

To play a mischievous trick on one, typically involving some physical action or object, to make one look or feel foolish. The rubber snake in the fridge scared me so badly that it took me a few minutes to realize it was just my brother playing a practical joke on me.

to all intents and purposes

In every practical or functional sense; almost completely. To all intents and purposes, the gym is ready for tonight's dance. There's only a few small things we still need to do.

See also: all, and, intent, purpose, to

for all practical purposes

as might be reasonably expected; essentially. For all practical purposes, this is simply a matter of right and wrong. This should be considered final, for all practical purposes.

to all intents and purposes

Also, for all intents and purposes; for all practical purposes. In every practical sense, virtually. For example, For all intents and purposes the case is closed, or For all practical purposes the Vice-President is the chief executive while the President is in the hospital . The first phrase, dating from the 1500s, originated in English law, where it was to all intents, constructions, and purposes. A shorter synonym is in effect, def. 1.

See also: all, and, intent, purpose, to

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

to all intents and purposes

COMMON You say to all intents and purposes to suggest that a situation is not exactly as you describe it but the effect is the same as if it were. To all intents and purposes he was my father. Note: People sometimes just say to all intents with the same meaning. For the first time in many years he was, to all intents, a free man.

See also: all, and, intent, purpose, to

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

to all intents and purposes

in all important respects.

1992 London Review of Books For if in 1976 pianists really were about to lose the skill of polyphonic piano-playing, then to all intents and purposes the skill of playing the piano was at an end.

See also: all, and, intent, purpose, to

to all intents and ˈpurposes

(British English) (American English for all intents and ˈpurposes) in almost every important way: The fighting has stopped, so to all intents and purposes, the war is over.

See also: all, and, intent, purpose, to

a practical, scientific, etc. turn of ˈmind

a practical, scientific, etc. way of thinking about things: He’s got a very practical turn of mind. He can fix anything.

for (all) ˈpractical purposes

in actual fact; in reality: Your daughter does so little work at school, Mrs Brown, that for all practical purposes she might as well not be here at all.

(play) a ˌpractical ˈjoke (on somebody)

play a trick on somebody which involves physical action, using an object, etc: They put a frog in his bed as a practical joke. ▶ a ˌpractical ˈjoker noun a person who plays practical jokes