brainstorm

• brain-storm
• brain storm

brain +‎ storm

• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)m

brainstorm (third-person singular simple present brainstorms, present participle brainstorming, simple past and past participle brainstormed)

1. To investigate something, or solve a problem using brainstorming.
   • 2017 August 27, Brandon Nowalk, “Game Of Thrones slows down for the longest, and best, episode of the season (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     Meanwihle at Winterfell, another overdone scheme designed mainly to surprise the audience. In the black of her chambers, Sansa brainstorms with Littlefinger what Arya could want. “After she murders you, what does she become?” he asks. To which Sansa does everything but gasp and spit-take, widening her eyes and saying like she’s just realizing it for the first time, “Lady of Winterfell.”

2. To participate in a brainstorming session.

brainstorm (plural brainstorms)

1. (US) A sudden thought, particularly one that solves a long-standing problem.

   I had been working on the problem for weeks, and then I had a brainstorm and saw that the solution was easy.

2. (An instance of) brainstorming.
3. (Britain) An unexpected mental error.
   • 2005, "Iguchi hit ruins Red Sox's night", BBC Online, 5 October

     A terrible fielding error from Tony Graffanino proved costly. [...] Aaron Rowand collected an RBI double to get them off the mark before Graffanino's brainstorm. Juan Uribe hit a roller to the second baseman, who let the potential inning-ending double-play ball roll under his glove, leaving runners at first and third bases.