cross the mind

This fraught mission — one that must cross the mind of everyone suffering under Iran’s brand of authoritarian rule — is less an engine of typical narrative suspense, however, and more a dramatic construct so Panahi can paint a picture of family dynamics when colored by the most heartbreaking kind of urgent togetherness.

But no sooner does that loaded word — domesticate — cross the mind than you begin confronting gender questions.

I can confidently say that thought did not cross the mind of any Democrat when Rudy Giuliani was put in charge this time around.

If nothing else, remember that this would never cross the mind of a straight person, as they’d simply check the “heterosexual” box without a second thought.

His questions have a double significance: They cross the mind of anyone watching a narrative unfold on television, and also anyone who feels caught up in the plot of history, especially at a moment of crisis.