spring to mind
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
The first example of this which probably springs to mind is that of the love / hate relationship between Pip and Estella which develops throughout the book as they grow older and their characters change and develop.
‘ Nothing springs to mind,’ Alyssia said with an attempt at light - heartedness.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Equivalents & related
Common questions
What does “spring to mind” mean?
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Is “spring to mind” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
What is the closest equivalent?
“gợi nhớ” (Tiếng Việt) — near equivalent.