rack your brains
/ˌræk jə ˈbreɪnz/INFORMAL · C1
Meaning
to think very hard to remember or solve something
Examples
- 1I racked my brains, but I couldn't remember where I had parked the car.
- 2We've been racking our brains all afternoon for a name for the new café.
- 3Ben racked his brains for the answer to the last quiz question, but it wouldn't come to him.
- 4Don't rack your brains over that crossword clue; I'll look up the answer online.
- 5Aisha is racking her brains to think of a present for her grandad's ninetieth birthday.
Grammar
rack changes: racks, racking, racked. your changes to match the subject: my, his, our. rack your brain is also used.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about education
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →go over your headto be too difficult for you to understandout of your depthwithout enough knowledge or skill to deal with somethingteacher's petthe favourite pupil in a class, who gets special treatmentpick your brainsto ask someone who knows a lot for information or adviceknow something inside outto be familiar with every detail of somethingtake something on boardto understand and accept an idea or advice
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
Here you get a couple of questions. The app gives you 16 practice modes, native equivalents and spaced repetition that tells you when it’s time to refresh.
