ring a bell
The phrase "ring a bell" is an idiom used to describe something that evokes a sense of familiarity or triggers a memory.
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Definition
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)To evoke a sense of familiarity or remind someone of something.
Example
- Does the name 'John Smith' ring a bell?
- Her face rings a bell, but I can't remember where I met her.
B2Memory
(informal, idiomatic)To trigger a memory or recognition of something previously forgotten.
Example
- That song rings a bell; I think it was popular when I was in college.
- The description of the place rings a bell, but I can't place it exactly.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "ring a bell":
ring someone's bellring inbell ringerring offalarm bellring upgive someone a ringbell ropestrike a chordwarning bellring backmake the welkin ringring outbell buttonding dongring the changescall to mindsanctus bell