spring to mind

spring to mind

To suddenly or immediately appear, materialize, or come to the forefront in one's mind. A: "What would you like to have for dinner?" B: "I'm not sure, nothing's really springing to mind." When it comes to crime thrillers, he's not a writer who springs to most people's minds, but his books are edgy, brilliant page turners.
See also: mind, spring
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

come/spring to ˈmind

if something comes or springs to mind, you suddenly remember or think of it: ‘Have you any suggestions?’ ‘Nothing springs to mind, I’m afraid.’ Just say whatever comes to mind — it doesn’t matter.
See also: come, mind, spring
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • come to mind
  • come/spring to mind
  • leap to (someone's) mind
  • at (one's) doorstep
  • at doorstep
  • appear out of thin air
  • appear, etc. out of thin air
  • ahead of the curve
  • ahead of/behind the curve
  • headfirst
References in periodicals archive
Wurtz, and Richard Artschwager also spring to mind, as do a number of Meadows' fellow UCLA grads (among them Liz Craft, Evan Holloway, and Brandon Lattu).
Jason Meadows
The trainer has excelled of late with his foreign imports - Falbrav, Salselon and Starcraft spring to mind - and the ex-French-trained entire ran a blinder on his first start for him at Ripon last month.
Racing: Cumani's sure thing
In a pair of unflattering denim jeans teamed with a vibrant royal blue, sparkling corset and jewelled choker, Lowri looks suspiciously over-done -the words ``mutton'', ``dressed as'' and ``lamb'' spring to mind. Rather than squeezing into this bodice, she looks like she's been shoe- horned in as she prepares to tuck into a meal prepared by the D-list celebrities who are chopping, cursing and weeping their way through Gordon's kitchen regime.
Viva!: What is she wearing?
Sledgehammer and nut are just two words that spring to mind.
YOU SAY: Waste of money
Gretna are supposed to be on big money but, having seem them twice this season, over and paid are two words that spring to mind.
Fanzine: STRANRAER
Moderate horses and a monotonous amount of racing spring to mind. There is already far too much racing.
Letter: Monotonous
Two examples from the photographic arena immediately spring to mind: Brassai's humorous photographs of Picasso and his friends in his studio at the rue des Grands Augustins, taken during the Nazi occupation of Paris, and Cecil Beaton's elegant postwar London photographs, including one of a fashion model in front of a bombed-out ruin.
Constance Stuart Larrabee
THERE are bets and there are special bets and a number of the latter spring to mind for this weekend's FA Cup semi-finals.
NEIL FULLERTON: Bets FA Cup semi-finals
But when he does finally sit down and think about it there are two words which should spring to mind -Jermain Defoe.
Tottenham 1 Blackburn 0
But the words "pot" and "kettle" spring to mind when you consider she owes her fame to raunchy outfits.
Holly: Brit girls dress like tarts; (Just look who's talking)
woman, easy target and hypocritical spring to mind.
DARREN FULLERTON: Not De-lightful
Does any picture spring to mind? The Blitz,Iraq, well thinkagain.
You say: War zone
BUILDERS' bums do not spring to mind as any musician's muse, but for one man they were the inspiration for a whole show.
Curtain call: Musical is all it's cracked up to be
When we see the White House and Empire State Building destroyed by aliens in Independence Day, the atrocity of September 11, 2001, will spring to mind.
America Terrorist attacks: Hollywood nightmare