trail of memory

USAGE SUMMARY

"trail of memory" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it to illustrate a situation in which someone is remembering a particular event or experience from the past. For example, "As she walked around the old house, she followed a trail of memory that transported her back to her childhood."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Similarly, in the book's final story, "Peach," a contemporary woman follows a trail of memory that leads to a tale about Grace, her grandmother.

The New York Times - Books

Dryden, Canada's goalie and later an author and member of Parliament, wrote that it was "the one wholly Canadian event that has left a similar trail of memory" as the assassination of John F. Kennedy to Americans.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Re "In Andalusia, on the Trail of Inherited Memories" (Essay, Aug. 21): The idea that memories might be inherited is such a perversion of scientific understanding that it cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged.

The New York Times - Science

Writer/director Michael Petroni plays it by the book, putting Tab A into Slot B as Brody's Peter Bower goes on the trail of repressed memories and guilty secrets, with passable if wholly predictable results.

The Guardian - Film

From our days as candy canes nightmares to today, we Sheridan sisters become possessed with Christmas spirit and have left a long trail of holiday memories behind us.

Huffington Post

It's better off leaving a trail of wonderful memories to your death rather than depressing ones (I mean, with family).

WikiHow

However, the cheapest Windows 8 tablets, hybrids and laptops often have 32-bit "Bay Trail" Atom processors, only 2GB of memory, and no separate graphics cards.

The Guardian - Tech

When free memory becomes scarce to allocate the content being streamed from the main server, the proxy tries to discard a trail of blocks left in the memory as a result of the service delivery made previously to a client.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

Hatched squares indicate a trail of blocks left in the memory by a client as it progresses every second (assuming constant bit rate (CBR) transmission) to the next video block.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

You find false trails, roads closed for repairs, impregnable fortresses, scouts, armies of memory, and impossible cartography".

The New Yorker

A trail of black bodies lay in the memory of our consciousness causing trauma, stress, and anxiety.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "trail of memory" to evoke a sense of actively following or rediscovering past experiences, similar to following a physical trail.

Common error

Avoid using "trail of memory" as a simple substitute for "memory" or "recollection". The phrase implies a deliberate journey or process of tracing specific memories, not just remembering in general.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "trail of memory" functions as a noun phrase, acting as a subject or object in a sentence. It describes a sequence or path of recollections. As evidenced by Ludwig's examples, this phrase is used to describe a journey through someone's past.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "trail of memory" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a sequence or path of recollections. While deemed "correct and usable" by Ludwig AI, it's relatively rare in common usage. The phrase evokes a deliberate, active journey through one's past, rather than simple recall. Its primary contexts are News & Media and Science, implying a neutral to slightly formal tone. To enhance clarity and impact, consider using it when emphasizing the process of rediscovering past experiences. Alternatives such as "pathway of remembrance" or "recollective journey" may provide similar nuances. The top sources using this phrase include The New York Times and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pathway of remembrance

Focuses on the route or course that memory takes.

recollective journey

Emphasizes the travel or progression through one's memories.

memory lane

A common idiom for revisiting past memories, often nostalgic.

echoes of the past

Highlights the lingering presence or impact of past events on present consciousness.

fragments of recollection

Refers to incomplete or scattered memories that piece together a past experience.

lingering memories

Focuses on the memories that persist over time.

footprints of the past

Suggests that the past has left an indelible mark.

vestiges of memory

Highlights the remaining traces of past experiences.

anamnestic pathway

A more scientific term for the process of remembering.

mind's historical record

A more formal phrasing for the mind's memory.

FAQs

How can I use "trail of memory" in a sentence?

You can use "trail of memory" to describe the act of following a sequence of thoughts or experiences that lead back to a particular event or person from the past. For example, "The old photographs offered a "trail of memory" leading back to her childhood home."

What are some alternatives to "trail of memory"?

Some alternatives to "trail of memory" include "pathway of remembrance", "recollective journey", or "memory lane", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "trail of memory" a common phrase in English?

While grammatically correct and understandable, "trail of memory" is not a particularly common phrase. It is more evocative and literary than a simple term like "memory". Other options are: "pathway of remembrance", "recollective journey", or "memory lane".

What does "trail of memory" imply?

"Trail of memory" suggests a deliberate and sequential uncovering of past events, as if following a path or series of clues. It's not just remembering, but actively pursuing a line of thought leading back to something specific.