The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

pull one’s punches → See PULL NO PUNCHES.

  pull one’s weight Also, pull one’s own weight. Do one’s share, as in We have a small organization, so we all must pull our own weight. This term comes from rowing, where each crew member must pull on an oar at least enough to propel himself or herself. Its figurative use dates from about 1900.

  pull out 1. Leave, depart, as in The bus pulled out at noon. [Mid-1800s] 2. Withdraw from an undertaking, as in After the crash many investors pulled out of the market. [Late 1800s]

  pull out all the stops Use all the resources or force at one’s disposal, as in The police pulled out all the stops to find the thief. This term comes from organ-playing, where it means “bring into play every rank of pipes,” thereby creating the fullest possible sound. It has been used figuratively since about 1860.

  pull out of a hat Produce suddenly and surprisingly, as if by magic. For example, We can’t just pull the answers out of a hat. This expression alludes to the magician’s trick of pulling some unexpected object out of a hat. That object is often a rabbit, and the expression pull a rabbit out of a hat is often used to mean “get magical results,” as in Much as I would like to be able to pull a rabbit out of a hat, I doubt if I can find further funding for this project.

  pull over Bring a vehicle to the side of the road; also, instruct a motorist to stop. For example, We pulled over to ask a passerby for directions, or The state trooper pulled the speeding motorist over. [First half of 1900s]

  pull rank Use one’s higher status to compel obedience or obtain privileges, as in She hated pulling rank in the office, but sometimes it was necessary. This term comes from the military. [c. 1920]

  pull round Restore or be restored to good health, as in It was good nursing that pulled him round so quickly, or Once on antibiotics, he pulled round quickly. [Late 1800s]

  pull someone’s chain 1. Make someone speak out of turn, as in Who pulled your chain?—It’s none of your business. [1920s] 2. Make someone angry, especially deliberately, as in Teenagers really know how to pull their parents’ chains. [c. 1960] Both ­usages allude to the literal sense of chain-pulling, that is, “causing someone to do something, as though activated by a chain.”

  pull someone’s chestnuts out of the fire Perform someone else’s unpleasant task. The term comes from an old fable in which a monkey persuades a cat to pull roasting chestnuts from the fire, thus avoiding burning its fingers. The story appears in many fable collections of the 17th century and was transferred to mean anyone doing someone else’s dirty work by the 18th century. Humorist S. J. Perelman used it in Vinegar Puss (1975): “...he believed he could pull the chestnuts out of the fire if the investors furnished enough oxygen to keep the curtain up a few days longer” (cited by OED). The same fable gave rise to the term CAT’S PAW.

  pull someone’s leg Play a joke on, tease, as in Are you serious about moving back in or are you pulling my leg? This term is thought to allude to tripping someone by so holding a stick or other object that one of his legs is pulled back. [Late 1800s]

  pull something Play a trick, deceive someone, as in We thought he was trying to pull something when he claimed he had never picked up our tickets. It is often put as pull something on someone, as in I knew he was pulling something on me when he told me the wrong date. Also see PULL A FAST ONE.

  pull strings Also, pull wires. Use one’s influence, as in By pulling strings he got us house seats to the opening, or His father pulled some wires and got him out of jail. Both terms allude to manipulating a marionette. The first dates from the second half of the 1800s, the second from the early 1800s.

  pull the plug on 1. Discontinue, end, as in The government pulled the plug on that program. [First half of 1900s] 2. Remove all life-supporting equipment, as in The family debated whether it was time to pull the plug on him. [Second half of 1900s] ­Although this idiom undoubtedly alludes to cutting off electricity to an electrical device, it originally referred to the removal of a stopper that flushed an old-style toilet.

  pull the rug out from under Remove all support and assistance from, usually suddenly. For example, Stopping his allowance pulled the rug out from under him, forcing him to look for a job. This metaphoric term alludes to pulling on a rug a person is standing on so that he or she falls. [Mid-1900s]

  pull the wool over someone’s eyes Deceive or hoodwink someone, as in His partner had pulled the wool over his eyes for years by keeping the best accounts for himself. This term alludes to the former custom of wearing a wig, which when slipping down can blind someone temporarily. [c. 1800]

  pull through Survive a difficult situation or illness, as in We’ve had to declare bankruptcy, but I’m sure we’ll pull through. [Mid-1800s]

  pull together 1. Make a joint effort, cooperate, as in If we pull together, I’m sure we’ll meet our quota. [Late 1700s] 2. pull something together. Assemble or gather together, as in Once we pull together all the facts, we’ll understand the situation. [Late 1800s] Also see PULL ONESELF TOGETHER.

  pull up 1. Stop or cause to stop, as in He pulled up his horse, or They pulled up in front of the door. [Early 1600s] 2. Catch up, advance in relation to others, as in a race. For example, She was behind at the start, but she quickly pulled up. [Late 1800s] Also see PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS.

  pull up stakes Move away, leave one’s home, job, or country. For example, We’ve lived here for years, but now it’s time to pull up stakes. This expression alludes to the stakes that mark property boundaries. [Early 1800s]

  pull wires → See PULL STRINGS.

  pulse → See TAKE THE PULSE OF.

  pump In addition to idioms beginning with PUMP, also see PRIME THE PUMP.

  pump iron Lift weights, as in She’s started pumping iron three times a week. This idiom was born with the late-20th-century stress on physical fitness. [Second half of 1900s]

  pump up 1. Inflate with gas or air, as in This tire needs pumping up. [Late 1800s] 2. Fill with enthusiasm, strength, and energy, as in The lively debate pumped us all up. Mary Wollstonecraft used this idiom in slightly different form in The Rights of Women (1792): “Lover-like phrases of pumped-up passion.”

  punch → In addition to the idioms beginning with PUNCH, also see BEAT TO IT (THE PUNCH); CAN’T PUNCH ONE’S WAY OUT OF A PAPER BAG; PACK A PUNCH; PLEASED AS PUNCH; PULL NO PUNCHES; ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES; SUCKER PUNCH; THROW A PUNCH.

  punch in 1. Also, punch a or the clock. Check in at a job upon arrival, as in You have to punch in or you won’t get paid, or In this office no one has to punch a clock. This usage alludes to the use of a time clock, which has a button an employee punches or strikes to record the time of arrival on a card. [1920s] Also see PUNCH OUT, def. 1. 2. Keyboard data into a computer, as in He was careful about punching in all the payments. [Mid-1900s]

  punch out 1. Record one’s time of departure from work, as in We never punch out at exactly five o’clock. This usage, dating from the 1920s, ­alludes to the use of a time clock. Also see PUNCH IN, def. 1. 2. Eject from a military aircraft, as in The pilot punched out just before the plane blew up. [Slang; 1960s]

  punishment → See GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT.

  puppy love Also, calf love. Adolescent love or infatuation, especially one that is not expected to last, as in Beth is besotted with him, but we think it’s just puppy love, or He’s got a bad case of calf love. [First half of 1800s]

  pure and simple No more and no less, plainly so, as in This so-called educational video is really a game, pure and simple. This expression is very nearly redundant, since pure and simple here mean “plain” and “unadorned.” Oscar Wilde played on it in The Importance of Being Earnest (1895): “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” [Second half of 1800s]

  pure as the driven snow Morally unsullied, chaste, as in She’s just sixteen and pure as the driven snow. This simile dates from the late 1500s, ­although driven, which means “carried by the wind into drifts,” was occasionally omitted. It is heard less often today.

  purpose → See AT C
ROSS PURPOSES; ON PURPOSE; SERVE A PURPOSE; TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES; TO GOOD PURPOSE; TO LITTLE PURPOSE.

  purse → In addition to the idiom beginning with PURSE, also see CAN’T MAKE A SILK PURSE OUT OF A SOW’S EAR.

  purse strings Financial resources or control of them, as in His mother doesn’t want to let go of the purse strings because he may make some foolish investments. This expression is often extended to hold or tighten or loosen the purse strings, as in As long as Dad holds the purse strings, we have to consider his wishes, or The company is tightening the purse strings and will not be hiring many new people this year. The purse strings in this idiom are the means of opening and closing a drawstring purse. [Early 1400s]

  push around Treat or threaten to treat roughly, bully, domineer, as in I won’t let him push me around. [Colloquial; c. 1920]

  push comes to shove, if Also, when push comes to shove. When matters must be confronted, when a crucial point is reached, as in If push comes to shove, the Federal Reserve Board will lower the interest rate, or They supposedly support equality, but when push comes to shove they always seem to promote a man instead of a woman. This term comes from rugby, where, after an infraction of rules, forwards from each team face off and push against one another until one player can kick the ball to a teammate and resume the game. Its figurative use dates from the 1950s. Also see the synonym IF WORST COMES TO WORST.

  push it Be overly insistent or forward, as in I promise to think over your proposal, but don’t push it. This idiom uses push in the sense of “force some activity or issue.” [First half of 1800s]

  push off Also, shove off. Leave, set out, depart, as in The patrol pushed off before dawn, or It’s time to shove off. This usage alludes to the literal meaning of a person in a boat pushing against the bank or dock to move away from the shore. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

  push on 1. Also, press on. Continue or proceed along one’s way, as in The path was barely visible, but we pushed on, or It’s time to push on to the next item on the agenda. [Early 1700s] 2. push something on someone. Thrust something on someone for acceptance or attention, as in She’s always pushing second helpings on her guests. [Early 1700s]

  push one’s luck Also, press one’s luck. Risk one’s good fortune, often by acting overconfidently, as in We’ve gotten all but one of the concessions we asked for; demanding that last one would be pushing our luck, or You’ve done very well so far, but don’t press your luck. [Early 1900s]

  push paper Do administrative, often petty, paperwork. For example, She spent the whole day pushing paper for her boss. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s]

  push someone’s buttons Also, press someone’s buttons. Draw a strong emotional reaction from someone, especially anger or sexual arousal. For example, My mother-in-law really knew how to push my buttons, or A good-looking redhead, she always seemed to press his buttons. This metaphoric expression transfers activating some mechanism by pushing buttons to human emotions. [Slang; 1920s]

  push the envelope Exceed the limits of what is normally done, be innovative, as in They are pushing the envelope in using only new fabrics for winter clothing. This idiom comes from aviation, the ­envelope alluding to the technical limits of a plane’s performance, which, on a graph, appear as a rising slope as limits of speed and stress are approached and falls off when the capacity is exceeded and the pilot loses control; safety lies within these limits, or envelope, and exceeding them exposes pilot and plane to risk. [Slang; late 1960s]

  push the panic button Also, press the panic button. Overreact to a situation, as in Don’t worry; Jane is always pushing the panic button, but I’m sure the baby’s fine. This term originated during World War II, when certain bombers had a bell-warning system so that the crew could bail out if the plane was severely hit. Occasionally a pilot would push the button in error, when there was only minor damage, causing the crew to bail out unnecessarily. By 1950 the expression had been transferred to other kinds of overreaction.

  push up daisies Be dead and buried, as in There is a cemetery full of heroes pushing up daisies. This slangy expression, alluding to flowers growing over a grave, was first recorded about 1918, in one of Wilfred Owen’s poems about World War I.

  put → In addition to the idioms beginning with PUT, also see (PUT) AT EASE; (PUT ON A) BRAVE FACE; CART BEFORE THE HORSE, PUT THE; CLAMP DOWN (PUT THE CLAMPS) ON; FLESH OUT (PUT FLESH ON THE BONES OF); FOR (PUT IN ONE’S) TWO CENTS; HARD PUT; IN (PUT INTO) EFFECT; (PUT) IN THE PICTURE; LAY (PUT) ONE’S CARDS ON THE TABLE; LAY (PUT ONE’S) HANDS ON; LAY (PUT THE BLAME) ON; (PUT ONE’S) NOSE OUT OF JOINT; NOT PUT SOMETHING PAST SOMEONE; (PUT) OFF THE TRACK; (PUT) ON A PEDESTAL; (PUT) ON THE BLOCK; (PUT) OUT OF BUSINESS; PULL (PUT OVER) A FAST ONE; STAY PUT; THROW (PUT) OFF (THE SCENT). Also see under SET.

  put a bug in someone’s ear Give someone a hint about something, as in Janet put a bug in her husband’s ear about getting the children a dog for Christmas. This idiom presumably likens the buzzing about of an insect to a hint, although the exact analogy is not clear. [c. 1900]

  put across 1. Cause to be understood or accepted, as in She put her views across very well. [c. 1920] 2. Achieve something by deceiving, as in You can’t put anything across on this teacher. [c. 1920] Also see PUT OVER, def. 3.

  put a damper on Discourage, dishearten, deter, as in Grandpa’s death put a damper on our Christmas holidays. This idiom employs the noun damper in the sense of “something that damps or depresses the spirits,” a usage dating from the mid-1700s.

  put all one’s eggs in one basket Risk all of one’s resources in a single venture, as in He had warned Peter about investing heavily in a single stock; it was putting all his eggs in one basket. This proverb, first recorded in 1710, has largely replaced the much older trust all one’s goods to one ship. Mark Twain played on it in Pudd’nhead Wilson (1894): “The fool saith, ‘Put not all thy eggs in one basket”... but the wise man saith, ‘Put all your eggs in the one basket, and watch that basket!’” Andrew Carnegie said this a decade or so earlier.

  put an end to Also, put a stop to. Terminate, abolish, as in It’s time they put an end to their feud, or The police chief vowed to put a stop to prostitution. This locution is more emphatic than the plain verbs end or stop. [Mid-1600s]

  put an idea in one’s head → See PUT IDEAS INTO SOMEONE’S HEAD.

  put a premium on Value more highly than usual, as in Her employer put a premium on honesty and hard work. First recorded in 1907, this term is ­almost always used figuratively.

  put aside 1. Also, put by or away. Save, store up for future use, as in We put aside all the toys for our grandchildren, or James put by dozens of cans of tomatoes this year, or She put away some of her salary every month. The first two terms date from the late 1700s, the third from the late 1800s. 2. Also, set aside. Place out of the way, as in The clerk put the bruised fruit aside to sell at reduced price; or We set aside the outdoor furniture before we water the lawn. [Late 1800s]

  put a spin on Give a certain meaning or interpretation to. Spin is usually modified by an adjective in this expression, as in Robert was adept at putting positive spin on weak financial reports, or This chef has put a new spin on seafood dishes. Also see SPIN DOCTOR. [1980s]

  put at ease → See AT EASE.

  put at someone’s disposal Allow one to use, as in They put their car at our disposal for our entire stay. This idiom employs disposal in the sense of “the liberty or power to use something,” a usage dating from the early-1600s.

  put away 1. Place in a designated spot for storage; also, place out of reach. For example, Please put away your clothes, or This young tennis player can really put away the ball. Also see SET ASIDE, def. 1. 2. Renounce, discard, as in Put away all those negative thoughts. [Late 1300s] 3. Consume quickly, ingest readily, as in He put away his dinner in just a few minutes. [Colloquial; late 1800s] 4. Confine to a mental health facility, as in The doctor said we had to put her away. [Colloquial; late 1800s] 5. Kill, as in The vet put our old cat away. [Colloquial
; late 1500s]

  put back the clock → See SET BACK, def. 3.

  put behind one 1. Try to forget, make an effort not to be bothered by, as in He had to put that failed negotiation behind him and make a fresh start. [Mid-1800s]

  put by → See SET ASIDE, def. 1.

  put down 1. Write down; also, enter in a list. For example, Please put down my name for a free ticket, or Put me down as a subscriber. [Second half of 1500s] 2. Bring to an end, repress, as in They managed to put down the rebellion in a single day, or We’ve got to put down these rumors about a takeover. [c. 1300] 3. Kill a sick animal, as in The vet said the dog must be put down. [Mid-1500s] Also see PUT AWAY, def. 5. 4. Belittle, disparage, criticize, as in Her husband was always putting her down. [c. 1400] Also see RUN DOWN, def. 6. 5. Ascribe, ­attribute, as in We put her poor performance down to stage fright. [Late 1700s] 6. Regard, classify, as in We put her down as a hypochondriac. [Mid-1800s] 7. Pay a deposit, as in We put down $2,000 for the car. 8. Store for future use, as in David put down ten cases of this year’s Chablis. [Mid-1800s] 9. Land in an aircraft; also, land an aircraft, as in What time will we put down at Heathrow? or She put the plane down exactly on the runway. [c. 1930] 10. Put a child to bed, as in The sitter said she’d put Brian down at 8:30. [Second half of 1900s]

  put down roots Settle somewhere, become established, as in We’ve put down roots here and don’t want to move away. This metaphoric expression, first recorded in 1921, likens the rooting of a plant to human settlement.

  put forth 1. Grow, as in This bush puts forth new shoots each spring. [First half of 1500s] 2. Bring to bear, exert, as in We’ll have to put forth a great deal more effort. [c. 1400] 3. Also, set forth. Offer for consideration, as in She put forth at least three new ideas. [Mid-1300s] 4. Bring to notice, publish, as in The appendix puts forth a fresh analysis of events. [Mid-1500s] 5. See SET FORTH.

  put forward Propose for consideration, as in His attorney put forward a claim on the property, or They put me forward for the post of vice-chair. [Mid-1800s]