What this tool is for

This is a quick reference for anyone who wants to know what a particular object, person, animal or setting from a dream has traditionally meant in dream interpretation. You type in the symbol, and you get a short explanation drawing on the common meanings found in dream dictionaries and folklore.

It is meant as a starting point for thinking about your dream, not a diagnosis or a prediction. Two people can dream about the same thing and mean very different things by it, so treat the meaning as one interpretation among several.

Who might find it useful

If you have woken up with a vivid image stuck in your head, a recurring dream you cannot shake, or a nightmare that has left you curious rather than shaken, this is a simple way to look things up without having to wade through long articles or forum threads.

It also suits people who keep a dream journal and want a quick note on what something might represent, students writing about symbolism, or anyone who just enjoys this sort of thing. If you are looking for clinical advice about sleep problems or distressing dreams, speak to your GP instead.

How it works

Type the symbol you want to look up, for example water, teeth, snake, house or being chased, and submit. You will get a short plain English summary of what the symbol has traditionally represented, along with a few common variations in meaning depending on the context of the dream. You can look up as many symbols as you like. Nothing you type is stored or linked to you.