idiom
on the tip of my tongue
on the TIP of my TUNG
ɒn ðə tɪp əv maɪ tʌŋListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
onthetipofmytongue
Dictionary meaning
the frustrating experience of knowing that you know something — a word, name, or fact — but being momentarily unable to recall it; corresponds to the 'tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) phenomenon' studied in cognitive psychology; caused by partial activation of a memory trace without full retrieval
History and origin
English — attested since the 16th century; captures the sensation of a memory being nearly, but not fully, accessible
Examples
- Her name is on the tip of my tongue — I just can't quite get it.
- The word for that feeling was on the tip of my tongue all day.
Pronunciation tips
A very natural idiom. Say 'tip-of-my-tongue moment' to describe the phenomenon itself.
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