make up one's mind

Idioms and Phrases

Decide between alternatives, come to a decision, as in I had trouble making up my mind about which coat I liked best . This expression dates from the early 1800s, although a similar usage appeared two centuries earlier in Shakespeare's King John (2:1): “I know she is not for this match made up.”

Example Sentences

“I know it’s not going to be an easy election to make up one’s mind.”

From New York Times

It is a terrible thing to determine in one's heart to do a wicked action: it is bad enough to give way to temptation, and so sin against God, but to make up one's mind to break His commandments, is far worse.

From Project Gutenberg

When Rendalen was in the humor, he would play by the hour together, just as though no one were in the room; one might make up one's mind to go away at once.

From Project Gutenberg

As a rule all that is necessary for this is to make up one's mind to do it, though there is a tendency on the part of a great many people just to let each evening be like every other evening and because of lack of sufficient interest they lose that variety which is the spice of life.

From Project Gutenberg

The only means of strengthening one’s intellect is to make up one’s mind about nothing—to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts, not a select party.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accept
• adopt
• appoint
• cast
• designate
• determine
• elect
• embrace
• favor
• judge
• love
• name
• prefer
• single out
• take
• want