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# mastermind

noun (a mastermind, masterminds); verb (mastermind, masterminds, masterminded, masterminding)

«mastermind» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A very clever person who plans something difficult, especially the person who plans a crime or a big scheme. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#m1)
2. (verb) To plan and organise something difficult and clever. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#m2)
3. (UK) Mastermind is a famous TV quiz show with a black chair. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#m3)

### In the lessons

In detective stories the villain is often a criminal mastermind; heroes may mastermind a rescue. In The Wind in the Willows the Badger masterminds the plan to win back Toad Hall from the stoats and weasels through the secret tunnel. In school we may call a top quiz player «a mastermind».

### Examples

- The detective finally caught the mastermind behind the robbery. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#x1)
- Badger masterminded the attack on Toad Hall. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#x2)
- My sister masterminded a surprise party for Mum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#x3)
- Who is the mastermind behind this clever trick? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#x4)
- She is a maths mastermind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#x5)
- The mastermind of the plan stayed hidden in the shadows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/#x6)

### Note

Countable noun; the verb is regular (masterminded). Often used about bad plans (crimes), but can be positive too.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mastermind» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mastermind/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mastermind» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mastermind.html) on Mova free.