/aɪ'dɪəlɪzəm; aɪ`dɪəl,ɪzəm/ n [U]
1 forming,pursuing or believing in ideals (ideal n 2), esp unrealistically理想主义（尤指不切实际地追求或信奉的理想）
*Idealism has no place in modern politics. 在当代政治生活中, 理想主义根本行不通.
2 (esp in art and literature) imaginative treatment of objects or ideas in an ideal and often unrealistic way （尤指文艺方面的）观念主义（以理想的、常为不现实的方法对待事物或思想）. Cf 参看 classicism, romanticism (romantic).
3 (philosophy 哲) belief that ideas are the only things that are real or about which we can know anything 唯心论; 观念论; 理念论. Cf 参看 realism.

n[U]
the belief that you should live your life according to high standards and principles, even when they are very difficult to achieve
→realism
　the idealism of the younger generation
　moral and religious idealism
technical a way of using art or literature to show the world as a perfect place, even though it is not
→realism, naturalism naturalism