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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Memory \Mem"o*ry\, n.; pl. {Memories}. [OE. memorie, OF.
memoire, memorie, F. m['e]moire, L. memoria, fr. memor
mindful; cf. mora delay. Cf. {Demur}, {Martyr}, {Memoir},
{Remember}.]
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1. The faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge
of previous thoughts, impressions, or events.
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Memory is the purveyor of reason. --Rambler.
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2. The reach and positiveness with which a person can
remember; the strength and trustworthiness of one's power
to reach and represent or to recall the past; as, his
memory was never wrong.
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3. The actual and distinct retention and recognition of past
ideas in the mind; remembrance; as, in memory of youth;
memories of foreign lands.
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4. The time within which past events can be or are
remembered; as, within the memory of man.
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And what, before thy memory, was done
From the begining. --Milton.
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5. Something, or an aggregate of things, remembered; hence,
character, conduct, etc., as preserved in remembrance,
history, or tradition; posthumous fame; as, the war became
only a memory.
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The memory of the just is blessed. --Prov. x. 7.
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That ever-living man of memory, Henry the Fifth.
--Shak.
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The Nonconformists . . . have, as a body, always
venerated her [Elizabeth's] memory. --Macaulay.
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6. A memorial. [Obs.]
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These weeds are memories of those worser hours.
--Shak.
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Syn: {Memory}, {Remembrance}, {Recollection}, {Reminiscence}.

Usage: Memory is the generic term, denoting the power by
which we reproduce past impressions. Remembrance is an
exercise of that power when things occur spontaneously
to our thoughts. In recollection we make a distinct
effort to collect again, or call back, what we know
has been formerly in the mind. Reminiscence is
intermediate between remembrance and recollection,
being a conscious process of recalling past
occurrences, but without that full and varied
reference to particular things which characterizes
recollection. "When an idea again recurs without the
operation of the like object on the external sensory,
it is remembrance; if it be sought after by the mind,
and with pain and endeavor found, and brought again
into view, it is recollection." --Locke.
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{To draw to memory}, to put on record; to record. [Obs.]
--Chaucer. Gower.
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