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"To generate a lot of suggestions" saying

English Language & Usage Asked on August 27, 2021

Is there a way of saying when someone generates a lot of ideas in a row.

The closest I could think of is: Tim has started to throw out random ideas at the meeting.

Would "throw out" work? Are there more casual ways of expressing it?

3 Answers

"Brainstorm" seems appropriate. It's generally used in the context of a group, but there's nothing wrong with using it to describe one person's action.

In case you need a noun, ideation is the process of generating ideas.

"Throw out" can work, but it could also be interpreted as "discard" or "reject" if the context isn't clear.

You could also say, "Tim offered/proposed/generated a(n) array/stream of ideas" if "brainstorm" isn't casual enough.

As a side note, "random" implies that the ideas may be irrelevant, poor, out of context.

Correct answer by Bucket on August 27, 2021

shotgun approach

(idiomatic) An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

Your Dictionary

At/during the meeting, Tim started to shotgun out random ideas.


throw a lot of stuff on the wall and see what sticks

An old method of testing spaghetti was to throw a strand against the refrigerator, and if it stuck, it was ready to take out of the boiling water. This metaphor original meant as a test to see if something was done or ready or validated. However, over the years, it has morphed to mean a test to see which solution might work. Instead of "throw it against the wall," one typically hears "throw them against the wall."

to present an idea and test the reaction.

onlineslangdictionary

Tim has started to throw a lot of stuff at the wall to see what sticks.

Answered by Cascabel on August 27, 2021

“Table” is the formal term for what you are describing.

“Tim tabled a lot of ideas at the meeting.”

Be a little careful with ‘brainstorm’. In current usage it is positive or neutral. However, not long ago it was deeply negative and suggested something approaching a fit, nervous breakdown or even psychotic episode. You could be communicating a very different message than intended if your reader is old or has the old meaning and not the new one.

Answered by jwpfox on August 27, 2021

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