From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Music, School, Literature, Filmthemetheme /θiːm/ ●●●S2W2AWL noun [countable]1SUBJECTsubject the mainsubject or idea in a piece of writing, speech, film etc
The book’s theme is the conflict between love and duty.main/central/major etc theme
Campbell has made health care a central theme in his campaign.
Nature is a recurrent theme (=a theme that appears repeatedly) in Frost’s poetry.
Most of Kurt’s other pictures were variations on the same theme.2 →theme music/song/tune3APMrepeated tune a short simpletune that is repeated and developed in a piece of music
Freia’s theme in Wagner’s opera4style a particular style
Her bedroom is decorated in a Victorian theme.5piece of writing American EnglishSES old-fashioned a short piece of writing on a particular subject that you do for schoolSYN essaytheme on
Your homework is to write a two-page theme on pollution.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesthe main/central/dominant themeThe main theme of the book is the importance of honesty.a major themeCultural change is the second major theme of his work.a common themeDeath and rebirth is a common theme in Eliot’s poetry.a recurrent/recurring theme (=one that appears several times)Returning to traditional values was a major theme of the president’s speech.an underlying theme (=one that is important but not very noticeable)One of the book’s underlying themes is the struggle for human rights.a universal theme (=subjects that affect people of all races and cultures)Readers everywhere can relate to the universal themes in his work.phrasesvariations on a theme (=things with a similar basic subject, style etc)Most of her short stories are variations on the theme of tragedy.Examples from the Corpustheme• The first is the ability to communicate: to find a theme, to focus on an agenda.• The play's centraltheme is greed and its corrupting effects.• The suppleinterplay of majorthemes will furnish it with the exhilarating sense of a mind meticulous but free.• George Eliot shows realconcern for religious and moralthemes.• a two-page theme on pollution• The conference's theme is education and training.• But before I take up that theme let me try to get closer to the ground.• She asks the host to describe the theme of the meeting and the desiredlength of the speech.• And not only do the themesrecur, but they overlap.• I really like the themesong to the "Mary Tyler Moore Show."• One of the themes of the book is the relationship between people and nature.• Tartanpatterns and plaids are applications of this theme.• The masterbedroom is decorated in a Victoriantheme.variations on ... theme• There are many variations on this theme.• Many variations on the combination theme can be put into practice.• There are numerousvariations on these basic themes to suitsoil, climate, and the main farmingenterprises.• All kinds of variations on this theme can occur.• The aim should be flexibility within a structure; variations on a theme.• For me, it was the most teasing of all things, variations on a theme, slight changes.• The dealers themselves started working variations on the theme.Origintheme(1200-1300)Latinthema, from Greek, “something laid down, theme”, from tithenai“to put”
