recollect
gb/ɹˌɛkəlˈɛkt/ us/ɹˌɛkəlˈɛkt/
B2
English
~ 4800
felidéz, emlékszik, visszaemlékezik, összeszedi magát
VERB
B2
1
Usage pattern:
to recollect [something]
I can't recollect the exact date of the meeting.
Nem tudom felidézni a találkozó pontos dátumát.
She vividly recollects her first day at school.
Élénken felidézi az első iskolai napját.
He tried to recollect what he had said during the interview.
Do you recollect where you put the keys?
I recollect meeting him once before.
Learner examples
I recollect my first trip to the beach.
Emlékszem, amikor először mentem a strandra.
She recollects her teacher's name.
Emlékszik a tanára nevére.
I cannot recollect his phone number.
Do you recollect this song?
He recollects his old friends.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'recollect' with 'collect'. 'Recollect' means to remember, not to gather objects.
Meaning
remember something from the past
Collocations
recollect details
|recollect events
|recollect clearly
|recollect vividly
Synonyms
remember (Most common and general term for recalling something to mind.)
|
recall (Slightly more formal than 'remember', often used in official or precise contexts.)
Antonyms
forget (Means to be unable to remember something.)
Themes
memory
|communication
|daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To remember something that happened in the past.
To bring a memory or fact from the past into your mind.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
to recollect oneself
She paused for a moment to recollect herself before speaking.
Egy pillanatra megállt, hogy összeszedje magát, mielőtt megszólalt.
He took a deep breath to recollect himself after the shock.
Mély levegőt vett, hogy a sokk után összeszedje magát.
After the startling news, it took him a while to recollect himself.
Learner examples
She stopped to recollect herself.
Megállt, hogy összeszedje magát.
He closed his eyes to recollect himself.
Becsukta a szemét, hogy összeszedje magát.
After the loud noise, I needed to recollect myself.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize 'recollect oneself' is formal and mainly used in written or serious spoken contexts.
Meaning
regain self-control or calmness
Collocations
recollect oneself quickly
|pause to recollect oneself
Synonyms
compose oneself (Common neutral phrase meaning to calm down and regain control.)
|
regain composure (More formal phrase for becoming calm after disturbance.)
Antonyms
lose control (Means to fail to keep emotions or actions under control.)
Themes
emotions
|self-control
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To become calm and think clearly again after feeling upset or surprised.
To regain control of your emotions or thoughts after being upset, shocked, or surprised.
Grammar
Dictionary form
recollect
IPA
GB/ɹˌɛkəlˈɛkt/
US/ɹˌɛkəlˈɛkt/
Syllables & stress
re - col - lect (3 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (lect)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: recollect
- 3rd Person Singular: recollects
- Present Participle: recollecting
- Past: recollected
Word family
Forms
recollects
verb
recollecting
verb
recollected
verb
Core family
recollection
noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
forget
verb A2
Expressions
as far as I recollect
1/ˈæz fˈɑɹ ˈæz ˈaɪ ɹˌɛkəlˈɛkt/
fixed phrase
to the extent I remember
Used to say that what you are saying is true based on what you remember.
Examples
- As far as I recollect, he never agreed to that plan.
- As far as I recollect, she was always on time.
if I recollect correctly
1/ˈɪf ˈaɪ ɹˌɛkəlˈɛkt kɚˈɛktli/
fixed phrase
if I remember accurately
Used when you are saying something from memory and want to show you might not be 100% sure it is correct.
Examples
- If I recollect correctly, we met at a conference in 2018.
- It was, if I recollect correctly, on a rainy Tuesday.