not mind = be not above?
I came across the idiom "be not above (doing) something". But its meaning is either too long to understand or a little logically complicated.
From Cam:
to be willing to do something, especially something that is not what people expect you to do or think you should do:
From Longman:
not be too good or honest to do something
From Longman:
not mind doing something: to be willing to do something
Can I draw the conclusion "not mind" = "be not above" from the perspective of meaning for simplicity?
Eg: He's not above lying to protect himself = He doesn't mind lying to protect himself.
But it seems that what follows "mind" mostly refers to something that is done by someone but is neutral or even beneficial for someone else. What comes after "be above" is usually something good for someone but bad for someone else.
Eg:
Would you mind closing the window? It's too noisy outside.
No, I don't mind (closing) it.
How to get a fair conclusion about this comparison?
1 Answer
Try swapping the test sentences into real life and see if the speaker's attitude matches, not just the bare action. "Not above" quietly says the person might do something slightly shady because they have no pride blocking it. "Not mind" only says the action wouldn't bother them. So those are different facts: one is about lowering yourself, the other about comfort. A fair check is to flip the context. If you say "He doesn't mind lying," it sounds like lying doesn't upset him, but it doesn't clearly say he'd actually choose it. If you say "He's not above lying," you're stating he'd stoop to it if needed. Assume the second is stronger and more negative in tone; that's a safe habit. For your window example, "not above" would sound weird because closing a window is helpful, not a downgrade. Use "not mind" for neutral or kind acts, and keep "not above" for things people think are a bit low. That's a simple split that avoids mixing them. If you want a next step, take ten sentences with "not mind" from things you read, and ask whether "not above" could replace it without changing the writer's judgment. Usually it can't, and that gap is your answer. The two phrases overlap in willingness but differ in implied shame.
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