think tank

• thinktank, think-tank

From the use of think tank or think box in the 19th century to refer to the human brain.

• enPR: thĭngk′ tăngk′
• (Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada, General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈθɪŋk ˌtæŋk/

  Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈθəŋk ˌtɛŋk/
• (Received Pronunciation, Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈθɪŋk ˌtaŋk/
• (India) IPA^(key): /ˈt̪ɪŋk ˌʈaŋk/
• Hyphenation: think tank

think tank (plural think tanks)

2. (idiomatic) A group of people who collectively perform research and develop reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporate, government, or special interests.

   Synonym: think factory

   • 1974, The Think Tank (Are You Being Served?), season 2, episode 3, spoken by "Captain" Stephen Peacock (Frank Thornton):

     Why don't we take a leaf out of the government's book and have a think tank?

   • 1978, Peter Watson, War on the Mind, New York: Basic Books, →ISBN, page 21:

     As 1965 drew to a close a secret research project for the United States Department of Defense was concluded by a ‘think-tank’ of seven psychologists at the American Institute for Research, in the Maryland woods outside Washington, DC.

3. (obsolete) The brain.
   • 1937, Madge Macbeth, Wings in the West, London: J. Hamilton, page 261:

     Slade’s eyes, china blue and menacing, held hers for an instant, then he turned again to her father and completed his sentence, “or else I think I know a stunt that will speed up your work . . . something that will make your think-tank bubble a bit faster. And if it don’t, then you’ll learn something about Hoppy Slade that you didn’t know before. Go to bed and sleep on that!”

• think tank on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:

think tank

Wikipedia ^pl

Unadapted borrowing from English think tank.

• IPA^(key): /ˈfiŋk ˈtaŋk/, /ˈfiŋk ˈtank/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Syllabification: think tank

think tank m inan

2. think tank (group producing research and recommendations)
   • 2009 June 3, Alastair McCall, David Smith, “Hindus najbogatszym Brytyjczykiem”, in Polska The Times, Warszawa: Grupa Wydawnicza Polskapresse, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     Jednak obliczenia ekonomistów z think tanku Policy Exchange, oparte o prognozy wzrostu MFW, pokazują wzrost do ponad 50 proc.

     But calculations by economists from the Policy Exchange think tank, based on IMF growth forecasts, show an increase to over 50 percent.

   • 2009 October 3, Wawrzyniec Smoczyński, “Myślą i rządzą”, in Polityka, number 40 (2725), Warszawa: POLITYKA Spółdzielnia Pracy, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     Jak na ironię trzeba było amerykańskich pieniędzy, by powstał pierwszy think tank badający politykę zagraniczną Unii, która narodzi się po wejściu w życie traktatu z Lizbony.

     It ironically took American money, to create the first think tank to study the Union's foreign policy, which will be born after the Lisbon Treaty comes into force.

   • 2011 February 21, Michał Wroński, “Warszawa snuje wizje, a Rybnik, Częstochowa i Bielsko robią swoje”, in Dziennik Zachodni, Katowice—Bielsko-Biała—Częstochowa—Sosnowiec: "Polskapresse" Oddział "Prasa Śląska", →ISSN, →OCLC:

     A może prezydenci Bielska, Rybnika i Częstochowy już tworzą własne think tanki, które poszukają sposobów na wcielenie w życie rządowych pomysłów?

     Or are the mayors of Bielsko, Rybnik and Częstochowa already setting up their own think tanks, to look for ways to put government ideas into practice?

• think tank in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• think tank in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese Wikipedia has an article on:

think tank

Wikipedia ^pt

Unadapted borrowing from English think tank.

This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!

• Hyphenation: think tank

think tank m (plural think tanks)

2. think tank (group producing research and recommendations)

   Synonyms: usina de ideias, órgão de reflexão