I have been Racking My Brain

Simple Definition:

The expression “I have been racking my brain” means to think very hard or to exert mental effort in trying to solve a problem or remember something.

Origin of the expression :

The expression “to rack one’s brain” borrows from this imagery of the rack,  a medieval torture device designed to physically strain and stretch the body to its breaking point.  When someone says they are “racking their brain,” it means they are exerting intense mental effort, as though their brain is being “stretched” in the same torturous way that the rack stretched the body.

Examples of use:

  1. “I can’t meet you for lunch today; I’m snowed under with work.”
  2. “She’s snowed under with assignments and barely has time to sleep.”
  3. “We’re all snowed under right now because of the upcoming deadline.”

Traduzione in italiano:

L’espressione “I am snowed under” significa che sei sommerso di lavoro o altri compiti e hai più cose da fare di quante ne riesci a gestire.

Esempi d’uso:

  1.   “I can’t meet you for lunch today; I’m snowed under with work.”
  2.   “She’s snowed under with assignments and barely has time to sleep.”
  3.   “We’re all snowed under right now because of the upcoming deadline.”