- [countable, uncountable] your ability to remember things
- memory for something I have a bad memory for names.
- People have short memories (= they soon forget).
- He had a long memory for people who had disappointed him.
- He had a great memory for detail.
- from memory She can recite the whole poem from memory.
- He suffered memory loss for weeks after the accident.
- Are you sure? Memory can play tricks on you.
- The drugs had a severe effect on her short-term memory.
- I quickly committed the number of the car to memory (= learned and remembered it).
- Culture is the unit of collective memory, keeping the past alive.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- excellent
- good
- long
- …
- jog
- refresh
- lose
- …
- from memory
- memory for
- in living memory
- in recent memory
- if memory serves
- …
- [uncountable] the period of time that a person or group of people is able to remember events
- in… memory There hasn’t been peace in the country in my memory.
- It was the worst storm in recent memory.
- within… memory This hasn't happened within living memory (= nobody alive now can remember it).
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- excellent
- good
- long
- …
- jog
- refresh
- lose
- …
- from memory
- memory for
- in living memory
- in recent memory
- if memory serves
- …
- [countable] a thought of something that you remember from the past synonym recollection
- Her poems are often based on childhood memories.
- memory of something I have vivid memories of my grandparents.
- My mother has fond memories of those days.
- memory of doing something I have many happy memories of working there.
- The snow outside makes summer feel like a distant memory.
- What is your earliest memory?
- The photos bring back lots of good memories.
- This music evokes painful memories.
Extra Examples- The simple melody evokes fond memories of childhood.
- We laughed and shared memories of Ella and Jake growing up.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- childhood
- early
- dim
- …
- have
- bring back
- evoke
- …
- come flooding back
- flood back
- flood somebody’s mind
- …
- at the memory
- in memory of
- memory from
- …
- in loving memory
- [uncountable] (formal) what is remembered about somebody after they have died
- Her memory lives on (= we still remember her).
- Their behaviour insults the memory of those who died for this country.
- They held a feast to honour the memory of Patroclus, his slain comrade.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- childhood
- early
- dim
- …
- have
- bring back
- evoke
- …
- come flooding back
- flood back
- flood somebody’s mind
- …
- at the memory
- in memory of
- memory from
- …
- in loving memory
- [countable, uncountable] the part of a computer where information is stored; the amount of space in a computer for storing information
- 32 gigabytes of memory
- Have you got enough memory available to run the program?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- computer
- system
- cache
- …
- expand
- take up
- stick
- drive
- slot
- …
ability to remember
something you remember
computing
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French memorie, from Latin memoria, from memor ‘mindful, remembering’.
Idioms
See memory in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee memory in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe etched on your heart/memory/mind
- if something is etched on your heart, memory, etc. you remember it because it has made a strong impression on you
have a memory/mind like a sieve
- (informal) to have a very bad memory; to forget things easily
if (my) memory serves me well, correctly, etc.
- if I remember correctly
in memory of somebody | to the memory of somebody
- intended to show respect and remind people of somebody who has died
- He founded the charity in memory of his late wife.
- The statue was erected to the memory of my father.
jog somebody’s memory
- to say or do something that makes somebody remember something
- Maybe these letters will help to jog your memory.
Check pronunciation:
memory