INDEX:
1. to remember someone or something from the past
2. to try very hard to remember something
3. to remember something with difficulty
4. to remember something very clearly
5. when you will remember something for a long time
6. to remember something that you must do or need to have
7. to try to remember something that you may need to know later
8. the ability to remember things
9. when you do something so that a person or event will not be forgotten
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ FORGET
see also
↑ REMIND/MAKE SB REMEMBER
↑ PAST
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1. to remember someone or something from the past
▷ remember /rɪˈmembəʳ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
if you remember something that happened, something you did, or someone or something you used to know, the thought of them comes back into your mind :
▪ Do you remember your first day at school?
▪ Oh yes, I remember now. We met him at the last conference, didn’t we?
▪ You remember the way to the bathroom, don’t you?
▪ Yes, I remember Janine. She lived in that house on the corner, and she had a pet rabbit.
remember who/what/where/how
▪ Can you remember what the man looked like?
▪ I can’t remember how the film ends.
remember (that)
▪ He remembered that he had felt just the same way when he first started working.
remember doing something
▪ He remembered meeting her at a party once.
▪ Older citizens remember eating soyabeans during the Depression.
remember somebody doing something
▪ I don’t remember him being that good at athletics in school.
▪ He remembers Leonard coming home late at night, covered in blood.
▷ think back/look back /ˌθɪŋk ˈbæk, ˌlʊk ˈbæk/ [intransitive phrasal verb] especially spoken
to think about something that happened in the past because you want to remember it :
▪ She tried to think back and remember exactly what Jim had said.
▪ Thinking back, I should have been more assertive.
think back/look back to
▪ Think back to last year. Look how bad things were then.
▪ When I think back to how it all started, I’m amazed.
think back/look back on
▪ When I look back on those days, it always makes me sad.
▪ When I think back on it now, I realize I expected too much from her.
think back five years/two days etc
try to remember what happened five years, two days etc ago
▪ I tried to think three years back. Where was it we had met?
▷ recall /rɪˈkɔːl/ [intransitive/transitive verb not in progressive]
to deliberately remember a particular fact, event, or situation from the past in order to tell someone about it, especially in a law court or other official situation :
▪ David recalled an incident that took place in the family home some 12 years previously.
▪ ‘I didn’t like him very much,’ Kev recalled. ‘He was arrogant.’
▪ As a child, she recalled, her parents had seemed very happy together.
recall what/how/when etc
▪ He didn’t like to recall what a disaster his business venture had been.
recall that
▪ I recall that on at least one occasion I saw him taking money from the office.
recall doing something
▪ Howard sighed. He could not recall ever being this tired before.
as I recall
that is what I recall
▪ The meeting went very well, as I recall.
▷ recollect /ˌrekəˈlekt/ [transitive verb not usually in progressive]
to be able to remember something, especially by deliberately trying to remember :
▪ I recognize his face but I can’t seem to recollect much about him.
▪ ‘The lawyers distorted what I wanted to say,’ recollects Hansen grimly.
▪ I can still recollect every detail of that meeting.
recollect who/why/how etc
▪ Only later did she recollect where she’d seem him before.
recollect that
▪ We have nine children, and I don’t recollect that I ever felt the need to hit any of them.
recollect doing something
▪ I do not recollect ever having been to Ohio, although my mother says we went there when I was a child.
recollection /ˌrekəˈlekʃ ə n/ [countable/uncountable noun]
recollect of
▪ He had no recollection of ever having received the money.
▷ reminisce /ˌremɪˈnɪs, ˌreməˈnɪs/ [intransitive verb]
to talk about pleasant events, people, experiences etc from the past, because you want to remember them or enjoy talking about them :
▪ At club meetings, we like to reminisce, remembering old times.
reminisce about
▪ I used to spend hours listening to my grandfather reminisce about life in the army.
▪ Lazlo enjoyed reminiscing about his life in Poland before he went to America.
reminiscences /ˌremɪˈnɪs ə nsəz, ˌreməˈnɪs ə nsəz/ [plural noun]
stories about events, people, experiences etc from the past, that people tell when they want to remember them :
▪ David became a writer and published his reminiscences many years later.
reminisce about/of
▪ It was a night of pleasant talk, the two of them exchanging reminiscences about the war.
▷ memory /ˈmem ə ri/ [countable noun usually plural]
something that you remember from the past about a person, place, or experience :
▪ This place holds lots of memories for us.
▪ Now, his experiences were just a painful memory.
▪ We had to write a story about our earliest memory the first event you can remember in your life .
memory of
▪ I have lots of happy memories of my time in Japan.
bring back memories
makes someone think of a happy time in the past
▪ We’re playing the old songs that I’m sure will bring back memories for you.
▷ nostalgia /nɒˈstældʒəǁnɑː-/ [uncountable noun]
the slightly sad feeling you have when you remember happy things from the past :
▪ There’s a mood of nostalgia throughout the whole book.
▪ a bittersweet film of nostalgia and innocence
nostalgia for
▪ Reagan appealed to the average American’s sense of nostalgia for a golden age.
nostalgic [adjective]
making you remember happy times in the past :
▪ a nostalgic visit to my home town
▪ This song always makes me feel nostalgic.
2. to try very hard to remember something
▷ try to remember /ˌtraɪ tə rɪˈmembəʳ/ [verb phrase]
▪ You must try to remember what happened -- it’s very important.
▪ His name? Wait a minute. I’m trying to remember.
try to remember who/what/how etc
▪ I’m trying to remember how the theme tune goes.
▷ think /θɪŋk/ [intransitive verb]
to try to remember something by deliberately thinking about it a lot :
think of
▪ You used to go out with the man from the bank, didn’t you? I just can’t think of his name.
try to think
▪ ‘What did you do with the keys?’ ‘Hang on, I’m just trying to think.’
think what/why/how etc
▪ I can’t think where I put it.
▪ Just let me think what the title was.
think hard
use this to emphasize that you try to remember something
▪ If she thought hard enough, she could just about remember what her mother looked like.
think and think
think for a long time
▪ He thought and thought but he couldn’t remember.
▷ come back to /ˌkʌm ˈbæk tʊː/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
if something comes back to you, you gradually start to remember it again after a lot of effort :
▪ I can’t think of the title at the moment, but it’ll come back to me.
▪ If you can remember all that, I’m sure the rest will come back to you.
▷ cast your mind back /ˌkɑːst jɔːʳ ˈmaɪnd bækǁˌkæst-/ [verb phrase not in passive] British
to try to remember something that happened a long time in the past :
▪ Lisa, if you cast your mind back, I think you’ll recall that it was your idea.
cast your mind back to
▪ Henry cast his mind back to the fateful evening.
cast your mind back over
▪ He frowned, casting his mind back over the conversation they had held.
cast your mind back forty years/three days etc
▪ Cast your mind back a few weeks to the Athletics Championship in Armagh.
▷ rack your brains /ˌræk jɔːʳ ˈbreɪnz/ [verb phrase not in passive]
to try extremely hard to remember something that you find very difficult to remember :
▪ Desperately, Irvin racked his brains, but there was nothing he could tell them.
▪ She racked her brains, trying to remember what David had said.
rack your brains for
▪ They sat in silence, racking their brains for the name of the road.
3. to remember something with difficulty
▷ vaguely remember /ˌveɪgli rɪˈmembəʳ/ [verb phrase]
if you vaguely remember something, you can remember it slightly but not all the details are clear :
▪ She still vaguely remembered her father, a distant figure who was barely ever there.
vaguely remember that
▪ I do vaguely remember, now that Kerry mentions it, that Pete was at the party.
vaguely remember what/how/who etc
▪ Bob, who’d been a vet in the army, vaguely remembered how to use a tourniquet.
vaguely remember doing something
▪ He vaguely remembered meeting her in a club the night of the concert.
▷ have a hazy/vague recollection /hæv ə ˌheɪzi, ˌveɪg rekəˈlekʃ ə n/ [verb phrase]
to be able to remember that something happened but not be able to remember the details clearly, especially because you did not notice the details at the time :
▪ I do sort of remember meeting him, but I have only a hazy recollection.
have a hazy/vague recollection of
▪ Davis claims he has only a vague recollection of the rape.
have a hazy/vague recollection of doing something
▪ The next day she had a hazy recollection of getting drunk and dancing in a fountain.
▷ be on the tip of your tongue /biː ɒn ðə ˌtɪp əv jɔːʳ ˈtʌŋ/ [verb phrase]
if a name or word is on the tip of your tongue, you usually know it but have difficulty remembering it at the present moment :
▪ His name’s on the tip of my tongue. I’ll think of it in a minute.
▪ What was that place where they’d had dinner? It was on the tip of her tongue.
▷ ring a bell /ˌrɪŋ ə ˈbel/ [verb phrase]
if something, especially a name, rings a bell, you remember that you have seen or heard it before but you are now not sure of the details :
▪ The name rings a bell, but I can’t place it at the moment.
ring a bell with
▪ ‘Gentle Ben’s Brewing Company’ will ring a bell with anyone who has lived in Arizona.
4. to remember something very clearly
▷ remember something well/vividly /rɪˌmembəʳ something ˈwel, ˈvɪvə̇dli/ [verb phrase]
▪ ‘Do you remember a guy called Casey?’ ‘Sure, I remember him well.’
▪ It was a long, long time ago, but I remember it vividly.
▪ What she remembered most vividly was the hopelessly sad expression in his eyes.
remember something all too well/vividly
remember something that you would prefer to forget
▪ These men remember all too well the horrors of the Korean War.
▷ distinctly remember /dɪˌstɪŋktli rɪˈmembəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to remember the details about something extremely clearly, especially when it is not something that would usually stay in someone’s memory :
distinctly remember something
▪ I distinctly remember her dress. It was blue with a red belt.
distinctly remember doing something
▪ I distinctly remember being told that my father was away on a long business trip.
distinctly remember somebody doing something
▪ I distinctly remember him leaving the room at about 8.00 p.m.
▷ be fresh in your mind /biː ˌfreʃ ɪn jɔːʳ ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase]
if something is fresh in your mind, you remember it very clearly because it happened very recently or because it had a great effect on you :
▪ The day war was declared is still fresh in my mind.
▪ She wrote down the details of their conversation while they were still fresh in her mind.
with something fresh in your mind
▪ It was going to be difficult forming a new relationship with the memory of Marian still fresh in his mind.
▷ I can still hear/see/feel etc /aɪ kən ˌstɪl ˈhɪəʳ/
to remember clearly the sight, sound, feel etc of something :
▪ I can still see his face when I told him I wanted a divorce.
▪ I can still hear my mother even now, singing away in the kitchen.
▪ The next morning, on his way to the office, he could still feel the touch of her lips on his.
▷ I will never forget /aɪ wɪl ˌnevəʳ fəʳˈget/ especially spoken
use this to say that you will remember something for a long time because it was very shocking, very enjoyable, very frightening etc :
▪ I’ll never forget the sight of him lying there in the hospital.
▪ ‘I’m going to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget,’ said father grimly.
I’ll never forget the first time/the day/the night etc
▪ I’ll never forget the first time I ate sushi.
▪ I’ll never forget the day Linda told us she was gay.
I will never forget how/what/who etc
▪ I’ll never forget how he comforted me after my son died.
▷ remember something as if it were yesterday /rɪˌmembəʳ something əz ɪf ɪt wəʳ ˈjestəʳdi/ [verb phrase]
to remember something that happened a long time in the past so clearly that it seems to have happened very recently, especially because it had a great effect on you :
▪ I remember sitting at that table and listening to him speak as if it were yesterday.
▪ She remembers her husband being shot as if it were yesterday.
▷ relive /ˌriːˈlɪv/ [transitive verb]
to clearly remember something, especially an experience from the past, by imagining that you are doing it again now :
▪ In my dreams, I often relived my fears and thought I was being attacked.
▪ It’s about a woman who is forced to relive her past when she discovers her long-lost brother.
▪ I have relived that game many times and I still don’t know how I missed the goal.
▷ stay with /ˈsteɪ wɪð/ [transitive verb not in passive]
if something such as an experience or event stays with you, you remember it for a very long time because it has such a great effect on you :
▪ When a loved one dies, it stays with you - it doesn’t just go away.
stay with someone for a long time/for the rest of their life
▪ The memory of the incident stayed with him for a long time.
▪ Growing up in the countryside, she developed a passion for horses that stayed with her for the rest of her life.
▷ stick in your mind /ˌstɪk ɪn jɔːʳ ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase]
if an experience or event etc sticks in your mind, it is very difficult to forget :
▪ That reminds me of another incident that sticks in my mind.
▪ One picture of a young child especially stuck in my mind.
▪ A trivial incident, perhaps, but one that has stuck in my mind.
▷ be haunted by /biː ˈhɔːntə̇d baɪ/ [verb phrase]
if you are haunted by something, especially something that you are worried about or afraid of, you find it extremely difficult to forget it so you are always thinking about it :
▪ She was still haunted by what happened in Barcelona, although she had left twenty years earlier.
▪ All his life, Whitman was haunted by a sense of loss and loneliness.
5. when you will remember something for a long time
▷ memorable /ˈmem ə rəb ə l/ [adjective]
something that is memorable, especially an event or occasion, is so enjoyable, beautiful, unusual etc that you remember it for a long time :
▪ One memorable afternoon, we visited a Shinto shrine.
▪ What’s your most memorable moment from your years on the stage?
▪ The story was memorable because, as far as I recall, it was the only book in the school library that even mentioned a black person.
▷ unforgettable /ˌʌnfəʳˈgetəb ə l/ [adjective]
something such as an event or occasion that is unforgettable has such a powerful effect on you that you will never be able to forget it :
▪ The trip had been an unforgettable experience for both of them.
▪ a series of unforgettable characters
▪ one of the movie’s unforgettable moments
▪ To everyone who has ever heard a fairy tale, the image of being lost in a deep, dark wood is unforgettable.
6. to remember something that you must do or need to have
▷ remember /rɪˈmembəʳ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
▪ Did you remember your dictionary?
▪ Remember, the examiner will expect you to demonstrate a knowledge of motorway driving too.
remember to do something
▪ Did you remember to lock the back door?
▪ I hope Dean remembers to buy some stamps.
remember (that)
▪ Do you think Kim remembers that we’re supposed to be there at 8?
▷ not forget /nɒt fəʳˈget/ [verb phrase]
to remember something you must do - use this especially when it seems likely that you will not remember something :
▪ Don’t worry, I won’t forget.
▪ Don’t forget your keys.
not forget to do something
▪ I hope she doesn’t forget to water the plants.
▪ You mustn’t forget to switch that off when you’ve finished.
not forget (that)
▪ I might be home late, but I haven’t forgotten that we’re going out.
don’t forget to do something
▪ Don’t forget to turn out the lights before you leave.
▷ be sure /biː ˈʃʊəʳ/ [verb phrase]
if you tell someone to be sure to do something, you want them to remember that it is important that they do it :
be sure to do something
▪ Be sure to ring me when you get in.
be sure and do something
▪ Be sure and let me know if you need anything.
be sure (that)
▪ Be sure that you make the effort to vote this year.
▪ Be sure you have your driver’s license and insurance ready to show the officer.
7. to try to remember something that you may need to know later
▷ memorize also memorise British /ˈmeməraɪz/ [transitive verb]
to learn facts, numbers, lines etc from a piece of writing or music, so that you can remember them later :
▪ Wesley would pray for hours and memorize large sections of the Bible.
▪ Don’t write down your PIN number, memorize it.
▷ note /nəʊt/ [transitive verb]
to remember something, such as a fact or information, especially by writing it down, because you may need to know it in the future :
▪ Before leaving, she noted the times of the return trains.
note down
to write the things you have to remember
▪ He read the text carefully, noting down the queries to be resolved later.
note [countable noun]
▪ I have notes to myself all over the house.
make a note of something
▪ If you have any complaints, let me know and I’ll make a note of them.
▷ make a mental note /meɪk ə ˌmentl ˈnəʊt/ [verb phrase]
to make yourself remember something because you may need to know it or do it in the future :
▪ I let the remark pass, but made a mental note for myself.
make a mental note to do something
▪ I said nothing to Liz, but made a mental note to ask her sister about it later.
make a mental note of
▪ As he came in, I made a mental note of where he put the keys.
▷ bear/keep in mind /ˌbeəʳ, ˌkiːp ɪn ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase]
to remember a fact or some information because it will be useful to you in the future :
bear/keep in mind that
▪ Keep in mind that the teacher’s previous experience in preparing students for the Cambridge exam can influence the results.
bear/keep something in mind
▪ ‘You’re always welcome to stay here, you know.’ ‘Thanks, I’ll bear it in mind.’
▪ For users unfamiliar with the system, there are a few general points to keep in mind.
be worth keeping/bearing something in mind
▪ It’s worth keeping in mind that drinks are cheaper before eight o'clock.
8. the ability to remember things
▷ memory /ˈmem ə ri/ [singular noun]
a person’s ability to remember facts or past events :
▪ He’s got a good memory, but I wouldn’t call him intelligent.
memory for
▪ I’ve got a terrible memory for names.
do something from memory
▪ These stories were told and retold, mainly from memory.
lose your memory
no longer have the ability to remember things
▪ Was she losing her memory as well as her teeth?
photographic memory
the ability to remember exactly every detail of something you have seen
▪ She is blessed with a photographic memory.
▷ recall /rɪˈkɔːlǁrɪˈkɔːl, ˈriːkɔːl/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to take information from your memory in order to use it :
▪ Even in old age, his powers of recall were astonishing.
▪ In advanced cases of the disease, there is a very rapid loss of recall and a decay of memory.
total recall
the ability to remember everything you want to remember
▪ Dinali has a brilliant mind, with almost total recall of what she has read.
9. when you do something so that a person or event will not be forgotten
▷ in memory of somebody/in somebody’s memory /ɪn ˈmem ə ri əv somebody, ɪn somebodyˈs ˈmem ə ri/ [preposition]
if something is done in memory of someone who has died, it is done so that the person is not forgotten, and to show respect for them :
▪ The monument was built in memory of all the soldiers who died in the war.
▪ The statue was erected in 1888 in memory of John Wesley.
▪ The inscription on the gravestone said simply, ‘In memory of David James Flower 1892-1917.’
▪ When Alfred Nobel died, an annual peace prize was established in his memory.
▷ memorial /mɪˈmɔːriəl, məˈmɔːriəl/ [adjective only before noun]
a memorial concert, fund, service etc is made or done to show respect for someone who has died, especially someone who was important, so that that person will not be forgotten :
▪ The memorial service was attended by the greatest names in Hollywood.
▪ Eliot was asked to give the first Yeats memorial lecture in Dublin in 1940.
▪ He met Saleh after a memorial ceremony for former president François Mitterrand.
▷ commemorate /kəˈmeməreɪt/ [transitive verb]
if something commemorates someone’s death or an event where people died, it is done in order to show respect for them and to remind other people of the person or event :
▪ The Eid commemorates the prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son at God’s command.
▪ When a famous citizen died, he was commemorated by a statue or a plaque.
commemorate something with something
▪ Vienna commemorated the 200th anniversary of Schubert’s birth with a series of exhibitions and concerts.