Mind like a steel trap

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Meaning

Having a sharp, quick memory or wit, snapping shut on details.

Origin

From 19th-century America, tied to trapping; steel traps nabbed game fast, slang by 1870s for mind. An 1875 'Scribner's' uses it for a bright kid.

Usage Examples

  • She's got a mind like a steel trap; never forgets.
  • His mind's like a steel trap; caught every flaw.
  • Mind like a steel trap; quick with facts.

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