English idiom

ring a bell

Register · Informal CEFR B1

Post

Figurative meaning

to sound familiar or remind you of something

Why this phrase?

No actual bell rings; it means something seems familiar.

Example

“That name rings a bell, but I can't place his face.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

spring to mind

to come into your thoughts suddenly and easily

hang on a minute

used to ask someone to wait, or to express surprise or objection

bear in mind

to remember and consider something when making a decision

come to mind

to appear in one's thoughts or memory

get the picture

to understand a situation, especially after an explanation

how on earth

an emphatic way of asking 'how', expressing surprise or disbelief

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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