English idiom

spring to mind

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to come into your thoughts suddenly and easily

Why this phrase?

Thoughts don't literally spring; it means they appear quickly.

Example

“When I think of summer, the beach springs to mind.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

off the top of one's head

from memory, without checking or thinking carefully

brain power

intelligence or mental ability used to think and solve problems

come to mind

to appear in one's thoughts or memory

ring a bell

to sound familiar or remind you of something

go without saying

to be so obvious that it does not need to be stated

rack your brains

To think very hard in an effort to remember or solve something.

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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