Dear Cristopher,

"Do you ever get lost in thought? Beware!"

Yes, sometimes I am lost in thought when, for example, I want to study something I do not master. In other words, I feel confused when this is the case. As soon as I become a bit aware of such a subject, the impression of getting lost in thought tends to disappear. In other words, when I begin to be aquainted with what I did not know, my impression of being lost disappears.

Best regards.

Orlando

Thank you for such a pleasant and thoughtful response! It sounds like you have a good map of the way out! Which is important!

NOCK

RE: ""The only reason some people get lost in thought is because it is unfamiliar territory."

One can get lost in thought reminiscing about one's past experiences. And one needn't be confused either. Being lost in thought often involves tuning out the world or being disengaged from awareness of one's surroundings, which may manifest itself as absentmindedness. Being lost in thought is temporarily being "lost to the world".

What is referred to by the idiom "lost in thought" is different from the phenomenon of merely not being able to understand or follow something, as for example when one says "you've lost me" or "I've lost the thread of this argument".

Thank you Karl. I don't suppose for most of us, being lost in thought really matters. We can drag ourselves back to reality when we have to. But, perhaps, that isn't everyone?

Nock

Yes, I have experienced, sir. When an indipendant researcher, show commitment, the pragmatic examination is phenomenal and do not bother what is happening in surroundings. Usually, when we indulge in integration of two opposite nodes and try to develop ideaprenureship

When one is lost in thought he or she has lost his or her focus. Regain that focus and your thoughts will pull back together.

Dennis Mazur

RE: "When one is lost in thought he or she has lost his or her focus."

That is exactly what I'm denying is necessarily the case. When one is lost is thought one can be so strongly focused on what one is thinking about that one isn't paying heed to anything else.

Yes especially when disturbed or over excited,

One can be lost in thought "creatively", e.g., putting one's thoughts into words and writing ideas down vociferously. . rationally or irrationally. I believe there is more than one interpretation of the phrase "lost in thought".

Thank you all for your interesting responses so far! The quotation seems to suggest that "problems" with getting lost are worse for certain types of people. Any thoughts on that?

NOCK

• https://www.dictionary.com/browse/lost-in-thought
• https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/be-lost-in-thought
• https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/lost+in+thought

Karl, reading lists don't appeal to me at all, so I won't thank you. But they're fine for others should they want to look at them.

NOCK

NOCK it off, NOCK. They are not reading lists. They are links to dictionary definitions of the idiom that is at issue. People would do well to consult a dictionary before making pronouncements about the uses of expressions.

Well, that's a very angry and nasty attitude. Another thing I don't like!

Goodbye

NOCK