noun

ID

eye-DEE

noun

In Freudian psychology, the part of the mind driven by basic, unconscious instincts and desires.

"His id wanted a second slice of cake, but he resisted."

Informal short form of "identification", such as a driving licence or passport used to prove who you are.

"The bouncer asked for ID before letting them in."

"You'll need photo ID to collect the parcel."

verb

Informal: to check or ask for someone's identification.

"The cashier IDed him before selling the wine."

How to Use ID

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the instinctive, primal part of the mind in Freudian theory, or everyday shorthand for a form of identification.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the psychology term (unconscious drives) with the everyday abbreviation for identification — context makes it obvious which is meant.

Common pairings

check someone's ID flash your ID id vs ego

Word Forms

IDed past tense, ID'ed past tense, ID'd past tense, ids plural, ids plural, IDs singular, ID's singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

His _____ wanted a second slice of cake, but he resisted.

Etymology

The psychology sense comes from Latin id ("it"), chosen by Freud's English translators to render his German term Es. The "identification" sense is simply short for "identification/identity".

Rhymes for ID

BID rid lid kid aid Eid mid CID sid Wid acid maid

See all rhymes for ID →