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ring a bell

to sound familiar

In Idioms & Sayings

In more detail

1. (idiom) to sound familiar or to remind someone of something they have heard or learned before

2. (idiom) to trigger a memory or cause someone to remember something

Examples

• 1. The name doesn't ring a bell—have we met before?
• 2. Seeing that old photo rang a bell and I suddenly remembered my childhood friend.

Nearby in Idioms & Sayings

pull yourself together, rain check, read between the lines, take with a grain of salt, the best of both worlds, through thick and thin