remember, v.1
(rɪˈmɛmbə(r))
Forms: 4–6 remembre, (5 -menbre), 5–6 remembyr, (5 -bur, 6 -bar, Sc. -bir), 6– remember, (6 Sc. ra-).
[ad. OF. remembrer (11th c.), = Prov. and Sp. remembrar, It. rimembrar:—late L. rememorārī, f. re- re- + memor mindful: see rememorate v.]
I. 1. a. trans. To retain in, or recall to, the memory; to bear in mind, recollect (a thing, person, fact, event, saying, etc.). Also transf. Cf. memory n. 1 c, d, 2 d.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 327 Edward may remembre þe trauaile & þe pyn. 1382 Wyclif Tobit ii. 6 Remembrende that woord, that the Lorde seide by Amos. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 154 Remembre your name was wont to be egall. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop i. xviii, Euer I shal remembre the grace whiche thou hast done to me. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 80 b, They should remembre themselves to be earth and asshes. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. 217 A thing that no man could remember done since Dioclesian and Aristobulus time. 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. (1900) 35 Let this mans misery be remembred by thee. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 26 ¶2, I was..left by my father, whom I cannot remember, to the care of an uncle. 1833 Tennyson Dream Fair Women xx, The times when I remember to have been Joyful. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 130 We must remember the place held by Parmenides in the history of Greek philosophy. 1933 Boys' Mag. XLVII. 170/1 If two cars pass over the detectors simultaneously then right of way is given to one and the arrival of the other is ‘remembered’, the right of way being accorded to it as soon as the first is safely through. 1958 Engineering 21 Mar. 358/1 Upon playback the machine ‘remembers’ the original picture without loss of detail. 1980 ‘D. Rutherford’ Turbo ix. 130 They bend on impact instead of breaking but the material remembers its original shape and goes back to it. |
| fig. 1732 Pope Hor. Sat. ii. ii. 73 The stomach..Remembers oft the School-boy's simple fare. 1833 Tennyson Two Voices 423 My frozen heart began to beat, Remembering its ancient heat. |
b. With inf. To bear in mind, not to forget, to do something.
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 12 Remembryng the highe lord to queme. 1461 Paston Lett. II. 27 Remembre to take a wryht to chese crowneres in Norffolk. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 3054 My Lords,..Remember to reforme the consistorie. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iii. ii. 99 Remember First to possesse his Bookes. 1733–4 Berkeley in Fraser Life vi. 218 You will also remember to take bonds for the money. 1781 Cowper Conversat. 103 But still remember..To press your point with modesty and ease. |
† c. Const. with oneself. Obs. rare.
| 1563 B. Googe Eglogs, etc. (Arb.) 86 As ofte as I remembre with my self, The Fancies fonde [etc.]. 1613 Day Festivals viii. (1615) 240 That you remember with your selves, who it is that hath made you Fathers of Children. |
† d. remember your courtesy, be covered. Obs.
(The precise origin of the phrase is not clear; compare leave your courtesy in Mids. N. iv. i. 21, and the following passage: c 1560 Wever Lusty Juventus C ij, Well sayd maister doctor... I pray you be remembred, and couer your head.)
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. i. 103, I doe beseech thee remember thy curtesie. I beseech thee apparell thy head. [Cf. Haml. v. ii. 108.] 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. i. i, Pray you remember your court'sy..Nay, pray you be covered. |
2. a. To think of, recall the memory of (a person) with some kind of feeling or intention.
| 1382 Wyclif Isa. lxii. 6 Ȝee that remembren the Lorde, ne beth stille. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xix. 69 So shall I remembre elysse as longe as lyffe shall abyde wythin me. 1535 Coverdale Eccl. xii. 1 Remembre thy maker in thy youth, or euer the dayes of aduersite come. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 314 We must also remember the dead. 1671 Milton P.R. iii. 434 Yet he at length..Remembring Abraham by some wond'rous call May bring them back. 1791 Burns Lament for Glencairn x, I'll remember thee, Glencairn, And a' that thou hast done for me! 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 111, I will do thee an act of kindness for which I shall be remembered. |
b. To bear (a person) in mind as entitled to a gift, recompence, or fee, or in making one's will; hence, to fee, reward, ‘tip’.
| 1470 Paston Lett. II. 407 Also my brother Edmonde is not yet remembryd. He hathe not to lyff with, thynk on hym. 1563 Bp. Sandys in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 195 This Contrie..bringith nothing forth fitt to remember youe withall. 1599 Aberdeen Regr. (1848) II. 188 The..counsall..lykvayes ordanis Mr. Peter Blakburne, minister, to be rememberit for the interteneing of the said Mr. George. 1605 Shakes. Macb. ii. iii. 23 Anon, anon, I pray you remember the Porter. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. xi. 93 He assured the hostler, that he would remember him the next day. 1871 Punch 16 Sept. 113/1 Mr. Keane Hunter is manœuvring to be remembered in Alderman W.'s will. |
† 3. a. To record, mention, make mention of (a thing, person, etc.). Obs. (common c 1430–1660).
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 73 Remembryd by scriptures we fynde and rede, Holsum and holy it is to thynke and pray. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 261/1 Her deth and..her assumpcion wherof the Scripture remembryth no thynge. 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. III. 963/2 About the same time that the armie before remembred, was set forward into Scotland. 1620–55 I. Jones Stone-Heng (1725) 4 History hath not remembred the Ruins of any ancient Buildings digged up in Anglesey. 1652 Needham tr. Selden's Mare. Cl. 62 The Carians possessed the Sea. Their Sea-Dominion is remembred by Diodorus Siculus. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones iii. iv, That phenomenon in the face of the former which we have above remembered. |
† b. To commemorate. Obs.
| 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas i. xiv. (1554) 30 This knightly man..Set up pillers for a memoriall Which remembred his conquests. 1535 Coverdale Numb. v. 15 It is..an offeringe of remembraunce, that remembreth synne. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 405 The Ditty do's remember my drown'd father. 1658 Whole Duty Man iii. §17 His mercies, especially those remembred in the Sacrament, his giving Christ to die for us. |
† c. To mention by way of reminder. Obs. rare.
| 1621 H. Elsing Debates Ho. Lords (Camden) 36 L. Ch. Justice moved whether to proceed against Michell,..and remembred the message to the Lower House to sytt as a House this afternoone. |
d. To (have mind of and) mention (a person, his condition, etc.) in prayer.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. i. 90 Nimph, in thy Orisons Be all my sins rememberd. 1613 ― Hen. VIII, v. i. 73 In thy Prayres remember Th' estate of my poore Queene. 1836 Simeon in Carus Life (1847) xxxiii. 794, I intreat the favour of you to remember at the throne of grace one, who [etc.]. |
4. a. absol. or intr. To have or bear in mind; to recall to the mind; also, to exercise or possess the faculty of memory. Also with about.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 122 Which yifth men cause to remembre, If any Sor be left behinde. 14.. Tundale's Vis., etc. (1843) 101 In verrey sothe, as I remembur can. 1548 Elyot, s.v. Memoria, Sens any manne coulde remembre. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 258 That shallow vassall..which as I remember, hight Costard. a 1631 Donne Poems (1650) 22 So, in forgetting thou remembrest right. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. i. iv. §20 To remember is to perceive any thing with memory, or with a consciousness, that it was known or perceived before. 1752 Gray Lett., to Walpole (1900) I. 219 As I remember, there were certain low chairs, that looked like ebony. 1812 Coleridge Lit. Rem. (1836) I. 336 Beasts and babies remember, that is, recognize: man alone recollects. 1819 Shelley Prometh. Unb. i. 561 Past ages crowd on thee, but each one remembers. 1847 G. P. R. James Whim III. ix. 164 Remember about the burning of the will. 1891 W. Morris News fr. Nowhere ix. 67, I do remember about that strange piece of baseless folly. 1919 G. B. Shaw Heartbreak House i. 9 Nurse. Youve actually remembered about the tea! (To Ellie) O, miss, he didnt forget you after all! |
b. To have mind, memory, or recollection of something. Now rare (in later quots. Sc. and U.S.).
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶85 At euery tyme þat I remembre of þe day of doom, I quake. c 1440 Partono{pdotab}e 3502 Remembring of the Joy he had before. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxxxvii. 339 Sir Johan Chandos remembred of a knyfe that he had in his bosome. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. ii. 190, I remember of such a time, being my sworn seruant, The Duke retein'd him his. 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. Wks. 1851 III. 285 And yet he can remember of none but Lysimachus Nicanor, and that he mislikt and censur'd. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 54 Among..female fashions..I remember but of one [etc.]. 1808 Scott Mem. in Lockhart i. (1842) 6/1, I remember of detesting the name of Cumberland. 1851 H. Stephens Bk. Farm (ed. 2) I. 594/1, I remember of another case in which there was no appearance of a lamb. 1862 M. D. Colt Went to Kansas x. 150, I then remembered of reading of such a practice among Southern ladies. 1903 Profitable Advertising Nov. 500 ‘Do you remember of ever making a purchase as the result of an advertisement?’ asked the writer. 1923 B. Hecht Florentine Dagger xiii. 224 She remembers dimly, she says, of striking him with a dagger. 1948 Amer. Speech XXIII. 237 Of the two or three thousand local [Pennsylvania Dutch] people whose speech the present writer has heard during the past seventeen years, no native has ever said, ‘I remember it’, but always, ‘I remember of it’. |
† c. Const. on or upon. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 213 Remembring on his dremes that he mette. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas ix. xiv. (1558) 26 He gan remembre anone..Vpon a verse written in y⊇ Sautere. 15.. Impeachm. Wolsey in Furniv. Ballads fr. MSS. I. 352 Remembyr on Thomas of Canterbury. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 9 b, Remember on me, o lord. |
† d. To make mention of a thing. Obs. rare—1.
| 1531 Elyot Gov. ii. xiii, Plinie remembreth of a dogge whiche..asaulted the murdrer of his maister. |
5. refl. a. To bethink or recollect, † to think or reflect upon (oneself). Now rare.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶135, I wol remembre me alle the yeres of my lyf, in bitternesse of myn herte. c 1440 Generydes 583, I may not ease my hert.., That doth me harme whanne I remembre me. 1484 Caxton Chivalry 10 And thenne he remembryd hym a lytyl and after sayd [etc.]. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 194 The Cardinal somewhat remembred hym selfe and sayd, wel my lord I am content to obey. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. iii. 9 Nurse come backe againe, I haue remembred me, thou'se heare our counsell. 1605 ― Lear iv. vi. 233 Thou old, vnhappy Traitor, Breefely thy selfe remember. 1891 Illustr. Lond. News Christmas No. 21/1, ‘I long for home’. But she remembered herself. ‘That's only a momentary feeling’. |
† b. Const. of or on; = 4 b, 4 c. Obs.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 326 Þenne I remembred me ryȝt of my rych lorde. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶33 Remembreth yow upon the pacient Job. c 1450 Lonelich Merlin 581 (Kölbing), Sche hire remembrid of fadyr and modyr bothe. 1545 St. Papers Hen. VIII, I. ii. 806, I cannot remember me of any others [fit to be captains]. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 308, I remembred my selfe of my Hostesse. 1651 tr. De-las-Coveras' Don Fenise 94 Remembering himselfe of the recitall which Rufine had made him. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 88, I remembered me of my gallant messmates. 1890 C. M. Yonge Slaves of Sabinus ii. 22 He remembered him of snow-capped Hermon. |
c. With obj. clause. (Cf. sense 1.) Now arch.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 384 Remembring him, that love to wyde y-blowe Yelt bittre fruyt. 1428 Lett. Marg. Anjou & Bp. Beckington (Camden) 43 Treuly, I can not remembre me, that ever I wrote to yow. 1470–85 Malory Arthur viii. ii. 275 The kyng merueilled why she dyd soo, and remembryd hym how her sone was sodenly slayne with poyson. 1589 Hay any Work 48 O now I remember me, he has also a charge to prouide for. a 1648 Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 39 Remembring himself, that it was time to visit his Army..he takes leave of the Ladies. 1700 Congreve Way of World ii. ix, Now, I remember me, I'm married. 1817 Byron Manfred iii. iv. 8, I do remember me, that in my youth..I stood within the Coliseum's wall. |
6. a. impers. (it) remembers me [after OF. (il) me remembre], I remember. Now arch.
| c 1374 Chaucer Compl. Mars 150 What his compleynt was, remembreth me. c 1386 ― Wife's T. 469 Whan that it remembreth me Up-on my yowthe. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop i. iv, I am certayne & me remembreth wel that the dogge lend to her a loof of brede. 1814 Cary Dante, Par. xx. 137 It doth remember me, that I beheld The pair of blessed luminaries move. 1831 Scott Cast. Dang. i, It may remember you that I undertook..to temporize a little with the Scots. |
† b. Of a thing: To recur to (one). Obs.—1
| 1608 Yorksh. Trag. i. ix, When the dread thought of death remembers you. |
c. to be remembered, to remember; also const. of. Now Obs. exc. dial. (common c 1450–1600).
| c 1440 Generydes 619 Ther is a land I am remembryd wele, Men call it Perse. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xxi. 370 Soo whan the quene loked vpon sir Tristram she was not remembryd of hym. 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 46, I am remembred that I haue often sene Great wordly riches ende in pouertie. c 1590 Marlowe Faust. x, Are you remembered how you crossed me in my conference with the Emperor? 1605 1st Pt. Ieronimo iii. ii. 53 Are you remembred, Don, of a daring message, And a proud attempt? 1828 Craven Gloss. s.v., An ye be remembered, i.e. if you remember. |
II. 7. a. To remind (a person); esp. to put (one) in mind of a thing or person. † Also const. upon, with. Now arch. or dial.
| c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 515 This was as thise bookes me remembre The colde frosty seson of Decembre. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. iv. 22 Thouȝ he wolde reherce tho pointis..of the lawe forto remembre the iugis and the peple ther upon. 1451 Paston Lett. I. 190 Item, to remembre T. Denyes of the tale that Fyncheham told. 1530 Palsgr. 685/1, I shal remembre him of it whan he gothe to bedde. 1604 T. Wright Passions vi. 320 These..I thought good briefly to set downe..to remember the Reader, that hereafter he may benefit himselfe of them. 1641 R. Marriot Serm. 25 The third was a Golden letter, which remembred him with the joyes of Heaven. 1745 Fortunate Orphan 68 Emanuel..remember'd Azem of his Promises. 1808 Edin. Rev. Jan. 285 He takes care to remember us of Dr. Johnson's saying. a 1850 Rossetti Dante & Circ. i. (1874) 98 She remembered me many times of my own most noble lady. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 398 Would to God that foresight had remembered me to take my cloak along! 1935 E. R. Eddison Mistress (1967) xiii. 229 And while he felt about for firm ground then Lessingham again, most courtly and submissive, remembering Derxis of that former passage with Alquemen. |
b. With inf. or obj. clause. Now dial. (Very common in 17th c., esp. with that.)
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. iv. 21 If a bischop..wolde remembre hem, exorte hem, and stire hem..forto kepe certeyn moral vertues. 1474 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 113/1 Remembryng us that it appered unto us [etc.]. 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. (1556) 48 b, Fyrste he wolde remembre hym for what cause he hath called hym. 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden 11 Let me remember thee to do this one kindnes more for me. 1638 Chillingw. Relig. Prot. i. iii. §77. 177, I am to remember you, that many Attributes in Scripture, are not notes of performance but of duty. 1670 Baxter Cure Ch. Div. Pref. 1, I write it to remember the Teachers of the Churches, what principles they have to preach. 1703 J. Savage Lett. Antients xxvii. 88 Remembring him that Liberality to Friends is the best way of hoarding Treasure. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) II. 239 The edge of the opened door, which he ran against, remembered him to turn his welcome back upon me. 1877– in dial. glossaries (Lancs., Chesh., Lincs., Warw., Shropsh.). |
† 8. a. To recall (a thing or person) to a person. Also with double object, obj. clause, and without const. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif John xiv. 26 He schal..schewe, or remembre, to ȝou alle thingis. c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. iii. 1379 Loke on ȝour ryng! It wyll remembyr ȝow ȝour gloryous weddyng. a 1470 Tiptoft Tulle on Friendsh. (Caxton 1481) A ij, Syth my master Seuola remembrid unto me how Lelius hath resouned with him. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. iv, Remembryng to hym the daunger of his iuell example. 1617 Wither Fidelia in Juvenilia (1633) 456 Every severall object that I see Doth severally (methinkes) remember thee. 1649 Milton Eikon. Pref., By onely remembring them the truth of what they themselves know to be heer miss⁓affirmed. 1672 Mede's Wks. p. xl, I remembred to him, how often I heard him wonder [etc.]. |
† b. To mention (one's affection, respect, etc.) by way of message to another. Obs.
| 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 63 Sir, my humble dutie remembred unto you and my good Mistresse, you may please to understand [etc.] 1625 Ussher in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 132, I pray remember my hearty affeccion unto my Lord of Landaff. 1672 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 408 Pray remember my respects to your Partner. |
c. To mention (a person) to another as sending a friendly greeting. Also without const.
| 1560 Gresham in Burgon Life I. 302 To whom it may please you, I maye be remembered. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iv. ii. 160 Remember me In all humilitie vnto his Highnesse. a 1674 Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 6 To remember me kindly to Mr. Hobbes. 1713 Steele Guardian No. 171 ¶3 Remember me to the lion. 1780 Phil. Trans. LXX. 452 He begs to be remembered to you with best compliments. 1804 in G. Rose's Diaries (1860) II. 86 Mrs. Tomline desires to be most kindly remembered. 1872 Black Adv. Phaeton xxvi. 353 Katty Tatham desires to be remembered to you all. |