The origin of the idiom "pick one's brain" likely draws on the metaphorical idea of the human brain as a valuable resource containing knowledge and insights. The word "pick" in this context suggests the act of selectively extracting or gathering information, similar to picking individual items from a collection. Over the years, the phrase has become a widely recognized phrase that is used to describe the act of seeking advice, information, or expertise from someone by engaging in a conversation or discussion.

What is the origin of the idiom "pick one's brain" and when to use it?

to [pick] {one's} [brain]

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcGljayBvbmUncyBicmFpbg&hash=1105fb70bd5af887333911a861eff4bb2825a38c&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcGljayBvbmUncyBicmFpbg&hash=b808890c951be184fe91fe2d2b45b924afd15e6c&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

brainwave

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW53YXZl&hash=c52c5fb80efb6bb3921a1f82dd9b4268d7f1834e&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW53YXZl&hash=8da805abce331b030b42f9125b97c28c222dfdd4&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

brainchild

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW5jaGlsZA&hash=a29a0b3ec9980aab1e86dd903c77afe991ea4b47&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW5jaGlsZA&hash=fb8a7385abaa84d72363f758ec024d03a057c3fc&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

brainwashed

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW53YXNoZWQ&hash=b677308b122708e4a3f43158f8b4c5e96ebddd4c&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW53YXNoZWQ&hash=3f0f74c0e48ebe191feefd4cc858945359b729d3&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

scatterbrained

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=c2NhdHRlcmJyYWluZWQ&hash=46a5bc408063030de8cc28278b46ae77391fb3de&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=c2NhdHRlcmJyYWluZWQ&hash=f4b278aafd1e6e53d3ed314c77ad6134d4e7ae72&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

A brain-teaser is a type of puzzle or problem that challenges a person's thinking and problem-solving skills. These puzzles are designed to be tricky and require careful thought or creativity to solve. Brain-teasers can include riddles, logic puzzles, or games that require figuring out patterns or using unusual approaches. They are often used to exercise the mind, improve focus, and encourage critical thinking. People enjoy brain-teasers as a fun way to stimulate their mental abilities and test their reasoning skills.

What is a "brain-teaser"?

brain-teaser

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW4tdGVhc2Vy&hash=40fee6bbcc8a8182f6fc4471ee2a4ee5f01bd7f5&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW4tdGVhc2Vy&hash=4d982ddd8392c880bb35ea9f86d13b8fb5d039a6&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

The origin of the idiom "rack one's brain" is believed to be derived from the medieval torture device known as the "rack." The rack was a mechanical contraption used to stretch or torture individuals by applying extreme tension to their bodies. The phrase represents the mental strain and anguish that one experiences when trying to recall or solve something difficult, similar to the physical agony inflicted by the rack. It is commonly used when someone is faced with a challenging problem, a difficult riddle, or the need to recall specific information from memory.

What is the origin of the idiom "rack one's brain" and when to use it?

to [rack] {one's} [brain]

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmFjayBvbmUncyBicmFpbg&hash=b5a35371dcbc23078a0d2740932e98307159c064&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmFjayBvbmUncyBicmFpbg&hash=435321b501213f5f5037d4a43de4bd130e00a236&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to accomplish

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gYWNjb21wbGlzaA&hash=25d1a31604ac9ed288b81698e397c3f4b899c23d&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gYWNjb21wbGlzaA&hash=82fc169d963c3a2a90f5f338a155a3b38d00eae5&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to pull off

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcHVsbCBvZmY&hash=7cc7461d59359a3921e4aa46e3a8f559d9a1becd&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcHVsbCBvZmY&hash=025874fc00ada018721b10de6f520582acb66a22&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to conquer

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29ucXVlcg&hash=7d7058609fd0adc918b47a6d4edf5019182aab04&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29ucXVlcg&hash=4f3748d7196ae76443484538843b30dff79f6dd2&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to get over

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZ2V0IG92ZXI&hash=081c3e563f7b5b38f56e3c1ba6a4bb9097577309&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZ2V0IG92ZXI&hash=860b1233d0cea8e430c4b299cbe8aa7fa127d4e6&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to install

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gaW5zdGFsbA&hash=144c384399402a4eb13b1542f516da8e8b86d522&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gaW5zdGFsbA&hash=515b6a63468d7e5714cecb5480f2290b3a2491ef&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to set up

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gc2V0IHVw&hash=0561fc9eadd3f87d879380aa9f4118508c913cfc&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gc2V0IHVw&hash=1c82fdd80a1f8a4e5739a1355affb8ef80efec78&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

makeover

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=bWFrZW92ZXI&hash=1b873ef92d25f706296aa93797f93c8823458412&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=bWFrZW92ZXI&hash=835e9131a495adf80dbc30790ac7eeeee9b5fe67&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to recite

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVjaXRl&hash=7f0164c9c89bbbf0ae492b4f4387bde5fb8bd0cd&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVjaXRl&hash=6b7e1f7b4fbe4973beb464dfbf2e4efa9f1e1e9a&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to reel off

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVlbCBvZmY&hash=1ffccd6d9b06e63c1db7b64b3070d643ce14ab97&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVlbCBvZmY&hash=992c008536f764efb0fc5c963bc2eb1a24ba9e4b&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to ascertain

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gYXNjZXJ0YWlu&hash=44ae2abdaea1543f9213e71cc9b6993c77767954&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gYXNjZXJ0YWlu&hash=bc4772364ca15a96a5a6bcd580f6a0e7a3ab4023&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to find out

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZmluZCBvdXQ&hash=4c9751c53edd4b707181c521c2017d3d3da3ea3e&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZmluZCBvdXQ&hash=dcdfdb2f22980ad80ed09e88b66f83988425ed7b&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to conduct

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29uZHVjdA&hash=6d8464ab01d94c4f06ee6a6c7a81c291617ff944&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29uZHVjdA&hash=4d6b356a7c8bfdf21c55721dab6f8917bbdb79a9&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to carry out

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY2Fycnkgb3V0&hash=009c61682e320f62d19edfe7f6c0c3deda6af4e6&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY2Fycnkgb3V0&hash=a15578c61e2b7fa37ca2af0bed3d6b4ff59adb72&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to transmit

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gdHJhbnNtaXQ&hash=31eded1391833e6e1bc351ce9524104d70e0b755&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gdHJhbnNtaXQ&hash=ac3b6385245bef0154c25df279a501eb334d1845&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to pass on

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcGFzcyBvbg&hash=01b7e7a0aad611c9c833e951d86d42b1b758a72d&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcGFzcyBvbg&hash=9943b7edc7e6b175a295912542c8c2a2b5439e70&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to take over

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gdGFrZSBvdmVy&hash=6f6b83f6e00c91653c4481487533ad299cdd11d1&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gdGFrZSBvdmVy&hash=24cbb41ed025699aadd55322f309fcbbabe5248f&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to collaborate

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29sbGFib3JhdGU&hash=edfa5ab86dbc1bdd31445d2d6087905953da6653&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29sbGFib3JhdGU&hash=0f13bb3363184ab281a10dd57ebfdc1653786446&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to team up

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gdGVhbSB1cA&hash=548f7088ff2b2cdcfcd72489aa13b0ef8e2cb209&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gdGVhbSB1cA&hash=7637bb274fdf0759c5df6159395682438cbaff0c&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to impede

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gaW1wZWRl&hash=05dcc5d4ff946065cd5767cd157c71fc6f605cb2&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gaW1wZWRl&hash=15e1d6a1a816a61355082fdbdf40dbafddcf05a3&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

hold up

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=aG9sZCB1cA&hash=38eb04d44ab342f85a2efd8f1e2f8a696e8f00a2&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=aG9sZCB1cA&hash=f1288114d6975b97078586278346bc3cbc86026f&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to discern

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZGlzY2Vybg&hash=04f12435c756217de5ee95522edabadc767a6091&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZGlzY2Vybg&hash=3da2af412efddef658bc2c39ace9356d339d7272&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to make out

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gbWFrZSBvdXQ&hash=52933ccb5324994b99345e833bb098a4af03e677&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gbWFrZSBvdXQ&hash=2a206dea0fcafada3bb5e9d09be5fc7f005fe93a&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to attribute to

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gYXR0cmlidXRlIHRv&hash=3498095359bdba4de6b98ef4f93a2941e003b202&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gYXR0cmlidXRlIHRv&hash=5ae94c8cadbf2c0d4e424a54fec4bc17ebe23402&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to pin on

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcGluIG9u&hash=6fa9f36d90c7dfbad3fad9561e2dd9bc8766e399&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcGluIG9u&hash=8cc21b886202ca01f2704eb79fc27324d81bcc8f&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to cease

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY2Vhc2U&hash=eb45bdcbd4ebe1e4cb2db489185a4b7df0678804&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY2Vhc2U&hash=20a702f18123fa97fff5af5d71bdabaafaacef9b&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to give up

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZ2l2ZSB1cA&hash=be95f9b563ee1e6f8551cd6f2797559a4ef11af1&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZ2l2ZSB1cA&hash=9ee4d0e89b4010b372e4019903ce8c2e202739dc&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to reflect

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVmbGVjdA&hash=e3c2a16bb91066db50f069b2e837664530aaad5b&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVmbGVjdA&hash=3c443cf9845b68472ea42a4047ab11c1724bb1a1&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to remember

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVtZW1iZXI&hash=9ae232fe466579f9881a6ced4b82dddcf01d73a8&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVtZW1iZXI&hash=7e92a9560840a2a418703c2ae22f0876b07abbba&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to remind

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVtaW5k&hash=6ed173a1cb4005d21608cf9cd034f282dfa3b458&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVtaW5k&hash=0b8c1a86f3bce405f64a85d4fc8d1cb6b023a76d&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to reminisce

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVtaW5pc2Nl&hash=61d27cf1bd6f4b39faff7dc2043e9f542e15aa28&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVtaW5pc2Nl&hash=06981eb4f4e9857bbb1428bbd262e8895138b289&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to memorize

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gbWVtb3JpemU&hash=41b707ff8d919b994d39ae9de5f786a51f841610&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gbWVtb3JpemU&hash=79a61886ea5dd884f525bf3bd2fbf7e52acb8851&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to commemorate

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29tbWVtb3JhdGU&hash=a17d05f0661cfa31dc9a9a468c31dfda7ad1a653&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY29tbWVtb3JhdGU&hash=9b8248da9eed5515f1f1702c072579fc5883eb0e&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

to recollect

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVjb2xsZWN0&hash=24bd0f90d105788ddff1e2a4814e96ef277fe6d5&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmVjb2xsZWN0&hash=30ca0187519f51e09917ef6e063620a00d879434&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

brain

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW4&hash=f16f66117a8d3892cd41fa2e48be1dd0d4c56be8&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=YnJhaW4&hash=fa00b2d129b2229f2e7cbcbb57b9496882885e59&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=GB

Here you will find the vocabulary from Unit 4 - 4A in the Insight Advanced coursebook, such as "reminisce", "scatterbrained", "reel off", etc.

Vocabolario dell'Unità 4 - 4A di Insight Advanced