jog your memory

Meaning

1. 1phraseidiom

   To help someone remember something they have forgotten, usually by giving a hint, a reminder or a small clue.

   Grammar: The possessive changes with the person: jog her memory. Often a thing is the subject: this photo might jog your memory.

   Patterns

   • jog someone's memory
   • something jogs your memory
   • jog your memory about something

   This old photo might jog your memory about the trip.

   The detective showed him a map to jog his memory.

   If you can't recall her name, a look at the guest list may jog your memory.

Word forms

Common combinations

to jog your memory

Let me tell you the date to jog your memory.

help jog your memory

Looking at your diary may help jog your memory.

jog someone's memory

The smell of pine jogged her memory of her grandfather's house.

try to jog your memory

I tried to jog my memory by retracing my steps.

in case it jogs your memory

I'm mentioning it in case it jogs your memory.

Synonyms and how they differ

remind

Remind is the direct, general verb, while jog your memory suggests a small nudge to bring back something half-forgotten.

prompt

Prompt means to encourage someone to act or speak, while jog your memory focuses specifically on recalling.

refresh your memory

Refresh your memory suggests going over facts you once knew well, while jog your memory suggests a quick hint.

trigger a memory

Trigger a memory suggests a sudden strong memory, often emotional, rather than a gentle nudge.

Opposites

Word family

memory noun

the ability to remember, or something remembered

memorize verb

to learn something so you can remember it exactly

memorable adjective

easy to remember or worth remembering

memorial noun

something made to remind people of a person or event

Commonly confused: jog your memory or refresh your memory?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “jog your memory”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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