rack one's brain
Struggle to remember
To rack one's brain is to think very hard, usually in an effort to remember something or solve a difficult problem.
The expression suggests mental strain, as if the mind were being stretched on a torture device called a rack.
I racked my brain trying to remember where I'd left my keys.
The phrase is sometimes spelled wrack one's brain, though rack is more traditional.
- rememberingRetaining past information
- recallMemory retrieval act
- tip of the tongueVerge of recollection
- recollectionRecalled mental image
- problem-solvingAddressing challenges methodically
jog my memory · puzzle over · brainstorming · mnemonic devices · determination · wracking · perseverance · deliberation · deep thought · reasoning · reminiscence · retrieval · analysis · think hard · contemplation · lost in thought · intellectual labor · mental block