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Glite Dictionary
to bring to

to bring to

188 3.7
To make someone remember or think of something
  • phrasal verb
  • /brɪŋ tu/
translation icon : recordar
  • I wish to thank Archivist Catherine Hobbs for bringing this second fragment to my attention.
  • bring to mind

Examples

  • What does this name bring to mind?

    Lovesick (1983)

  • And that, along with one of your events brought to mind some things for me.

  • In addition, the results of this study bring to light several recommendations for future researchers.

    Academic text (2013)

  • Listen, Vick, I bring people to Christ through song.

    Due Season (2022)

  • Thinking about questions like these puts flesh on the bones and brings our heroes to life.

    Academic text (1991)

  • The history of diabetes brings to light many of the pitfalls of race-based medicine.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The smell of freshly baked cookies always brings to mind my childhood holidays.

  • Listening to that song brings to mind memories of my first dance.

  • The old photographs brought to mind the adventures we had in our youth.

Synonyms

to remind
vsto bring to
∞ 1.0

To make someone remember something they need to do or something from the past

focuses on evoking thought rather than prompting action or duty
to remind someone of
vsto bring to
∞ 2.6

To make someone think of a person, place, or time from the past

is used more broadly to cause any memory or thought to appear
to bring back
vsto bring to
143 3.0

Make someone remember something from the past

is a more general prompt to make something come to mind
to evoke
vsto bring to
71 4.8

To bring a memory, image, or feeling to mind

is narrower, focusing specifically on making past facts or thoughts recur
to retrieve
vsto bring to
44 4.1

To bring a memory or fact back into your mind

is less technical and applies to simple everyday recall
to bring back memories
vsto bring to
21 3.5

To make someone remember the past, for example a song or photo

is neutral about emotion and only concerns causing recollection
to call up
vsto bring to
11 3.2

To make a memory or image appear in your mind

is broader, not only about retrieving specific facts or images
to recall
vsto bring to
5 3.4

Bring someone's attention back from daydreaming

is about causing any memory or thought to reappear rather than shifting attention
to put in mind of
vsto bring to
  • UK
3.9

To make someone remember a person or thing

is the general act of causing a past thought to recur
to remind of
vsto bring to
2.6

Make someone think of another person or thing that is similar

is used more generally to cause remembrance without needing similarity

Antonyms

to forget
∞ 1.0

Not remember something you should remember

How Strong

recall
25 2.8
to remind
∞ 1.0
to bring to
188 3.7
to evoke
71 4.8
to suggest
∞ 1.6
hint
229 1.5

Surface Forms

bring to infinitive
bringing to present participle
brings to third person singular
brought to past
brought to past participle

Morphology

bring + to

The meaning is transparently built from 'bring' (to cause or carry into a state) plus the directional/function word 'to' indicating movement toward a target (e.g., the mind). A learner who knows these constituents can infer 'bring to (mind)' as ‘cause something to come to mind’ because the composition follows ordinary spatial→mental metaphor patterns common across languages.

Etymology

Bring to gives the image of someone carrying an old photo and placing it in front of you; the action bring and the direction to make the past come back to your mind. That's why bring to means 'to make someone remember'.