- pull a punch
- phrasal see pull punches
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
pull a punch
Look at other dictionaries:
pull a punch — phrasal 1. : to hit an opponent with less than one s full power 2. : to act or express oneself in a cautious or guarded manner : pussyfoot she has pulled no punches in coming directly to the extreme issues involved Sara H. Hay … Useful english dictionary
pull — pull1 W1S1 [pul] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(move something towards you)¦ 2¦(remove)¦ 3¦(make something follow you)¦ 4¦(take something out)¦ 5¦(clothing)¦ 6¦(move your body)¦ 7¦(muscle)¦ 8 pull strings 9 pull the/somebody s strings … Dictionary of contemporary English
pull — 1 /pUl/ verb 1 MOVE STH TOWARDS YOU (I, T) to use your hands to make something move towards you or in the direction that you are moving: Help me move the piano; you push and I ll pull. | pull sth: I pulled the handle and it just snapped off! |… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
punch in — Synonyms and related words: accomplish, achieve, approach, arrive, arrive at, arrive in, attain, attain to, be received, blow in, bob up, check in, check off, check out, clock in, clock out, come, come in, come to, come to hand, dent, depress,… … Moby Thesaurus
pull in — Synonyms and related words: accomplish, achieve, apprehend, approach, arrest, arrive, arrive at, arrive in, attain, attain to, be received, bit, blow in, bob up, bridle, bust, check, check in, clock in, collar, come, come in, come to, come to… … Moby Thesaurus
punch — Synonyms and related words: Mickey, Mickey Finn, aggressiveness, amperage, aperitif, armipotence, assault, auger, authority, awl, bang, bash, bat, bear, bear upon, bearing, beating, beef, belt, biff, bite, bitingness, black power, blaze, blaze a… … Moby Thesaurus
pull punches — also pull a punch phrasal to refrain from using all the force at one s disposal … New Collegiate Dictionary
punch — punch1 [punch] n. [prob. < var. of ponchon: see PUNCHEON1] 1. a) a tool driven or pressed against a surface that is to be stamped, pierced, etc. b) a tool driven against a nail, bolt, etc. that is to be worked in, or against a pin that is to… … English World dictionary
pull punches — pull (one s) punches [usu. with negative] be less forceful, severe, or violent than one could be a smooth tongued critic who doesn t pull his punches * * * pull punches : to express criticism in a mild or kind way usually used in negative… … Useful english dictionary
pull one's punches — see under ↑punch1 • • • Main Entry: ↑pull pull one s punches 1. To hold back one s blows 2. To be deliberately less hard hitting in one s criticism than one might be • • • Main Entry: ↑punch … Useful english dictionary
