recall to mind

USAGE SUMMARY

"recall to mind" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when you want to express the act of remembering or bringing something to one's thoughts. Example: "I tried to recall to mind the details of our last conversation." Alternative expressions include "bring to mind," "remember," and "recollect."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Hoping to convince her, Congreve wrote, "Recall to mind what happened last night.

The New York Times

We have to wait for the turn of the 18th century for the modern love letter to appear – a thing of charm and tongue-in-cheek overstatement, like this one in the 1700s from the playwright William Congreve to Mrs Arabella Hunt, a court musician: "Recall to mind what happened last night.

Independent

After all, transform is a common word and although it may recall to mind certain memories from the 80s (and, to a lesser extent, the last few years), it is just a word and it also describes the transforming capacity of the device.

TechCrunch

The Oxford dictionary gives the following origin of the verb "recognize": from the Latin recognoscere: "know again, recall to mind".

Huffington Post

Within Balboa Park, Goodhue said, they built "a city in miniature … meant to recall to mind the glamour and mystery and poetry of the old Spanish days". An architecture magazine of the time said the style, though unknown to the rest of the U.S., was "historically and logically appropriate" for the San Diego fair, which more than 2 million people attended.

Los Angeles Times

The Examen provides a form of meditative prayer in which we daily recall to mind the fact that we live every moment in the presence of the God who created us in love and desires above all else to share this love in and through us.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Which recalls to mind as well Princeton's involvement in the story, so well told in Barksdale Maynard '88's fine 2010 feature in Your Favorite Periodical.

Princeton University

Later meets the girl on a boat, She recalls to mind the incident and the girl says she was never there.

The New Yorker

Recalling to mind what greats there's been and how arid it is since those broad years of slipping – recollections and hands out of sight.

The Guardian - Books

By then the cold war had become the dominant political reality and the Nazi period was beginning to recede into the background.It was recalled to mind by the "Waldheim affair" in 1986.

The Economist

Release his mind to the signature evening at a World Cup which we have been waiting for from him since 2003, by discovering that free spirit and fearlessness that Frank Lampard recalled to mind only this week, when he talked of a 17-year-old Rooney first arriving for training, warming up, getting his kit on and just getting out and playing.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a vivid or strong memory, consider "recall to mind" to highlight the clarity and impact of the memory.

Common error

Avoid using "recall to mind" in very casual conversations. Simpler alternatives like "remember" or "think of" might be more appropriate in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "recall to mind" functions as a verb phrase expressing the act of remembering or retrieving information from one's memory. It describes a cognitive process, indicating a conscious effort to bring something to awareness. Ludwig AI shows it's common across diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Academia

29%

Science

28%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "recall to mind" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to express the act of remembering. While not overly formal, it's more sophisticated than simple alternatives like "remember". Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is used across various contexts, including News & Media, Academia and Science. When writing, consider the context and audience; in very casual settings, simpler terms may be more appropriate. The phrase functions to introduce memories and is commonly found in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bring to mind

A phrasal verb that is very close in meaning to the original, emphasizing the act of something causing a memory. It is virtually interchangeable.

remember

A simple and direct way to express the act of bringing something back to your consciousness. This alternative is less formal than the original phrase.

recollect

Similar to remember, but often implies a more deliberate effort to bring something to mind. It is somewhat more formal than "remember" but less so than the original.

call to memory

Highlights the effort involved in retrieving something from one's memory. This is a more literary alternative.

cast your mind back

A more vivid and descriptive way to ask someone to remember something. It is often used to guide someone to remember a specific event.

think back to

Implies a conscious effort to revisit a past event or experience. This is more conversational.

evoke

Focuses on the power of something to trigger a memory or feeling. This shifts the focus to the trigger rather than the act of remembering.

look back on

Suggests reflecting on past events, often with a sense of perspective. This is less about pure recall and more about reflection.

reminisce about

Suggests a fond or nostalgic recollection of past events. This adds an emotional tone.

bethink oneself of

A more archaic and formal way to say remember or recall. It is rarely used in modern English.

FAQs

What does "recall to mind" mean?

The phrase "recall to mind" means to remember something or bring a memory or fact back into your conscious awareness. It suggests a deliberate effort to remember something.

How can I use "recall to mind" in a sentence?

You can use "recall to mind" to describe the act of remembering something. For example: "I tried to recall to mind the details of the agreement before signing the contract."

What are some alternatives to "recall to mind"?

Some alternatives to "recall to mind" include "remember", "recollect", "bring to mind", and "call to memory".

Is "recall to mind" formal or informal?

"Recall to mind" is generally considered more formal than simple alternatives like "remember" or "think of", but less formal than "bethink oneself of". It's suitable for a variety of contexts, but avoid overusing it in very casual conversations.