Jimmy pulled his punches and let Paul win the boxing match.
The mayor spoke bluntly; he didn't pull any punches.
Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". Оригинал: A.Маккей, М.Т.Боткер, Дж.И.Гейтс. 1997.
pull one's punches — {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not to hit as hard as you can. * /Jimmy pulled his punches and let Paul win the boxing match./ 2. To hide unpleasant facts or make them seem good. Usually used in the negative. * /The mayor spoke bluntly; he didn t pull… … Dictionary of American idioms
pull one's punches — {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not to hit as hard as you can. * /Jimmy pulled his punches and let Paul win the boxing match./ 2. To hide unpleasant facts or make them seem good. Usually used in the negative. * /The mayor spoke bluntly; he didn t pull… … Dictionary of American idioms
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
pull one's punches — ► pull (one s) punches limit the severity of one s criticism or aggression. Main Entry: ↑pull … English terms dictionary
pull (one's) punches usu. with negative — be less forceful, severe, or violent than one could be. → pull … English new terms dictionary
pull one’s punches — 1. tv. to pull back during a boxing punch just before the full force of a blow is felt; to land lighter blows than normal upon an opponent. (Boxing and related sports.) □ The boxer started pulling his punches, and the ref ended the fight. □ He… … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
pull one's punches — Show moderation. Be gentler than one need be … A concise dictionary of English slang
pull one's punches — avoid defeat, remain idle … English contemporary 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 — ► VERB 1) exert force on (something) so as to move it towards oneself or the origin of the force. 2) remove by pulling. 3) informal bring out (a weapon) for use. 4) move steadily: the bus pulled away. 5) move oneself with effort or against… … English terms dictionary
