Word family noun memorial memory memo memoir memorabilia memorandum adjective memorable memorial immemorial verb memorize memorialize adverb memorably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmemorymem‧o‧ry /ˈmeməri/ ●●● S2 W1 noun (plural memories) 1 ability to remember [countable, uncountable]REMEMBER someone’s ability to remember things, places, experiences etcmemory for She has a terrible memory for names.from memory The pianist played the whole piece from memory.in your memory The image has remained in my memory ever since.2 something you remember [countable usually plural]REMEMBER something that you remember from the past about a person, place, or experiencememory of She talked about her memories of the war. He has lots of happy memories of his stay in Japan. When I saw the pictures, the memories came flooding back (=I suddenly had many memories about something).3 computer a) [countable]TD the part of a computer where information can be stored The data is stored in the computer’s memory. b) [uncountable]TD the amount of space that can be used for storing information on a computer 128 Mb of memory Personal computers now have much increased memory capacity.4 → in/within memory5 → in memory of somebody6 → somebody’s memory7 → a walk/trip down memory lane8 → somebody’s memory is playing tricks on themCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: someone’s ability to remember things, places, experiences etcadjectivesgood/excellentI wish my memory was as good as yours.bad/poor/terribleA student with a poor memory may struggle in school.short-term memory (=your ability to remember things that you have just seen, heard, or done)The drug can damage your short-term memory.long-term memory (=your ability to remember things that happened a long time ago)Most people's long-term memory is limited.visual memory (=your ability to remember things you have seen)Poor spellers often have a weak visual memory.a photographic memory (=the ability to remember every detail of things that you have seen)Unless you have a photographic memory, you forget half of what you read as soon as you close the book.verbsremain/stay/stick in your memory (=be remembered for a long time)That day will remain in my memory forever.refresh/jog your memory (=help someone to remember something)Perhaps this photograph will refresh your memory?lose your memory (=become unable to remember things that happened in the past)The blow on the head caused him to lose his memory.commit something to memory formal (=make yourself remember something)I've already committed his name to memory.phraseshave a short memory (=if you have a short memory, you soon forget things)Voters have short memories.have a long memory (=if you have a long memory, you remember things for a long time)He has a long memory for people who have let him down.have a memory like a sieve (=forget things very easily)I'm sorry, I have a memory like a sieve. I forgot you were coming today! loss of memory/memory loss (=when you cannot remember things)The condition can cause dizziness and memory loss.a lapse of memory/a memory lapse (=when you cannot remember something for a short time)The alcohol seemed to make him suffer lapses of memory.if my memory serves (me correctly/right) (=used to say that you are almost certain you have remembered something correctly)If my memory serves me correctly, Johnson was also there.something is etched in your memory (=it is impossible to forget)The date was etched in my memory. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: something that you remember from the past about a person, place, or experienceadjectivesADJECTIVES/NOUN + memory good/bad etc memoriesHe left school with good memories of his time there.happy/unhappy memoriesMany people have unhappy memories of being forced to play team sports.fond memories (=about someone or something you like)She had fond memories of her aunt and uncle.a painful memory (=very upsetting)He sobbed as he relived the painful memory.a vivid memory (=very clear and detailed)I have vivid memories of that summer.a clear memoryI have a clear memory of the first time I met David.a dim/distant memory (=not clear, from a long time ago)He had only dim memories of his father, who had died when he was four.a vague memory (=not clear)I have a vague memory of visiting them when I was small.a childhood memoryGoing to the farm brought back happy childhood memories.somebody's earliest memoryMy earliest memory is of being bitten by a dog.an abiding/enduring/lasting memory (=that you will always have)The children's abiding memory of their father is of his patience and gentleness.verbshave a/have no memory of something (=remember/not remember something)She had no memory of the accident.relive a memory (=talk about past events so you remember them again)Seeing her again was an excuse to relive old memories.bring back memories (also rekindle/revive memories formal) (=make you remember something)For many older people, the film brought back memories of the war.memories come flooding back (=you suddenly remember things clearly)Evelyn hugged her daughter, as memories came flooding back to her.a memory fades (=becomes less clear and accurate)Write down how you felt before the memory fades.phrasesa place is full of memories (=makes you remember things that happened there)My old home is full of unhappy memories.be haunted by the memory of something (=be unable to forget something unhappy)He is haunted by memories of his unhappy childhood.shudder/wince at the memory of something (=be upset by remembering something)She shuddered at the memory of her parents fighting. Examples from the Corpus
memory• Both computers had a 28,800-baud fax modem, 16 megabytes of random-access memory and voice mail / speakerphone capabilities.• We're playing the old songs that I'm sure will bring back memories for you.• She may have been held back, too, by memories of near suffocation.• One of my first memories was when he shot a mountain lion and he let me shoot it too.• These stories were told and retold, mainly from memory.• He's got a good memory, but I wouldn't call him intelligent.• I have many happy memories of eating Frankfurters with lashings of mustard in Cologne.• I have lots of happy memories of my time in Japan.• Was she losing her memory as well as her teeth?• Grandpa was getting old and his memory wasn't so good.• The scene will always live in my memory.• This place holds lots of memories for us.• 16 megabytes of memory• Now, his experiences were just a painful memory.• She is blessed with a photographic memory.• Under silver roofs and filigree balconies, gleaming in the freezing sunshine, thoughtful locals swap memories and theories.• I've got a terrible memory for names.• So this brings your memories back.memory of• memories of her years at collegeFrom Longman Business Dictionarymemorymem‧o‧ry /ˈmeməri/ noun [uncountable]COMPUTING the part of a computer in which information is storedStoring and retrieving video images requires vast amounts of computer memory.a machine with 4 gigabytes of memoryBoth companies have sought other partners to make memory chips for them in Japan and South Korea. → main memory → random access memory → read only memory → virtual memoryOrigin memory (1200-1300) Old French memorie, from Latin memoria, from memor “remembering” 