meeting of the minds

plural meetings of the minds · alternative meeting of minds

1. idiomaticAn agreement, especially one resulting from a gathering in which discussion or negotiation took place.

   Mr. Noda met with Mr. Ozawa twice but the talks failed to yield a meeting of the minds.

   2012 June 4, Martin Fackler, “Japan Leader Changes Cabinet in Push for Tax Bill”, in New York Times, retrieved 10 Dec 2012

   2 more examples

   [E]xhausted negotiators pored over maps and drafts of a proposed agreement in smoke-filled Cairo hotel rooms, until the morning of the third day, when Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres proclaimed that the two sides had "reached a meeting of the minds."

   1994 January 10, Marguerite Michaels, “Borderline Breakthrough”, in Time

   [T]he market seems to believe that the leaders have had a meeting of the minds and won’t fail when the time comes to act.

   2011 October 10, John Dobosz, “Dancing On The Ceiling Of The Trading Range”, in Forbes, retrieved 10 Dec 2012

   Synonyms: concord, understanding

2. lawSynonym of consensus ad idem (“agreement about the terms and subject matter of a contract between all involved parties”).

   Synonyms: consensus ad idem