hark back

To bring back an earlier topic, or remind people of an earlier time and sometimes wish for it.

• The music harks back to her childhood.
• He kept harking back to our earlier argument.
• These stories hark back to a time when everyone knew their neighbours.

How to use it: hark back to something (The design harks back to the 1950s.)

Similar words: recall, evoke, return to

Common phrases: hark back to something, hark back again

When hunting dogs lose an animal’s smell, they go back along their route to find it again.

• The hounds harked back after losing the scent.
• Watch the dogs hark back along the trail.
• The pack will hark back until it finds the fox’s scent.

Similar words: retrace

Common phrases: hounds hark back, hark back again

To go back along a route you have already taken.

• We harked back to the gate.
• They had to hark back along the muddy path.
• Shall we hark back to the village before dark?

How to use it: hark back to somewhere (The travellers harked back to the bridge.)

Similar words: retrace one’s steps, return

Common phrases: hark back home, hark back again

To call hunting dogs back to you.

• He harked back the hounds.
• The hunter tried to hark the dogs back with his horn.
• She harked back the pack before it reached the road.

How to use it: hark back something (The huntsman harked back the hounds.)

Similar words: recall, call back

Common phrases: hark back hounds, hark hounds back

A return along an earlier route by hunting dogs looking for an animal’s lost smell.

• A hark back helped the hounds find the scent.
• The pack made another hark back along the trail.
• After a brief hark back, the hunt continued.

Common phrases: a hark back, another hark back

A return to an earlier topic, or something that brings an earlier time to mind.

• This dress is a hark back to an earlier era.
• His speech included a hark back to our first meeting.
• The ending offers another hark back to the book’s opening theme.

How to use it: a hark back to something (The song is a hark back to her youth.)

Similar words: reminder, echo, return

Common phrases: a hark back, hark back to something