Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

Автор книги: Adam Makkai

Соавторы: Maya Glinberg
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[play the field]{v. phr.}, {informal} To date many different people; not always have dates with the same person. •/Al had a steady girlfriend, but John was playing the field./ •/Jim was crazy about Mary, but she was still playing the field./ Contrast: GO STEADY.

[play the game]{v. phr.}, {informal} To obey the rules; do right; act fairly. •/«That’s not playing the game,» we told him when he wanted to desert his wife./ •/«Oh, let’s play the game,» he said, when his partner suggested a way to keep from paying some of their debts./ •/Your parents want you to play the game in life./

[play the market]{v. phr.} To try to make money on the stock market by buying and selling stocks, •/John lost all his savings playing the market./ •/Sometimes Mr. Smith makes a lot of money when he plays the market, and sometimes he loses./

[play to the gallery]{v. phr.} To try to get the approval of the audience. •/Whenever John recites in class he seems to be playing to the gallery./ •/The lawyer for the defense was more interested in playing to the gallery than in winning the case./ Compare: SHOW OFF.

[play tricks on]{v. phr.} To make another the victim of some trick or joke. •/Al got angry when his classmates played a trick on him by hiding his clothes while he was swimming./

[play up]{v.} To call attention to; talk more about; emphasize. •/The coach played up the possibilities, and kept our minds off our weaknesses./ •/The director played up the woman’s glamor to conceal her lack of acting ability./

[play upon] See: PLAY ON.

[play up to]{v. phr.}. {slang} 1. To try to gain the favor of, especially for selfish reasons; act to win the approval of; try to please. •/He played up to the boss./ 2. To use (something) to gain an end; to attend to (a weakness). •/He played up to the old lady’s vanity to get her support./

[play with fire]{v. phr.} To put oneself in danger; to take risks. •/Leaving your door unlocked in New York City is playing with fire./ •/The doctor told Mr. Smith that he must watch his diet if he doesn’t want to play with fire./ Compare: SKATE ON THIN ICE.

[plough] or [plow through]{v. phr.} Pass through laboriously. •/Saw had to plough through hundreds of pages of American history to get ready for his test./

[plow] See: PUT ONE’S HAND TO THE PLOW.

[plow into]{v.} 1. To attack vigorously. •/He plowed into his work and finished it in a few hours./ 2. To crash into with force. •/A truck plowed into my car and smashed the fender./

[pluck up]{v.} 1. To have (courage) by your own effort; make yourself have (courage). •/In spite of failure, he plucked up heart to continue./ •/He plucked up courage when he saw a glimmer of hope./ 2. To become happier; feel better; cheer up. •/He plucked up when his wife recovered./

[pluck up one’s courage] See: SCREW UP ONE’S COURAGE.

[plug away] See: PEG AWAY.

[plug in]{v. phr.} To connect (an electrical appliance) to a power wire by putting its plug into a receptacle or hole. •/The integrated circuit has multiplied the number of small radios that need not be plugged in./

[plug into]{v.} To connect (an electrical appliance) to a power wire by inserting its plug into a receptacle or hole. •/He thought he had left the lamp plugged into the wall, and so was puzzled when it wouldn’t light that night./

[plume oneself]{v. phr.}, {literary} To be proud of yourself; boast. •/He plumed himself on having the belle of the ball as his date./ •/He plumed himself on his successful planning in the election./ •/She plumed herself on the grace with which she sat on a horse./ Compare: PRIDE ONESELF.

[plunk down]{v.}, {informal} 1. To drop down; fall. •/After walking a mile we plunked down on a bench to rest./ 2. To drop something noisily or firmly. •/He plunked the heavy suitcase down at the station./ 3. To pay out, primarily an excessive amount •/I had to plunk down $55 for a concert ticket./

[please] See: AS YOU PLEASE.

[pocket] See: BURN A HOLE IN ONE’S POCKET, LINE ONE’S POCKETS.

[pocket money] See: SPENDING MONEY.

[pocket one’s pride] See: SWALLOW ONE’S PRIDE.

[point] See: AT SWORDS' POINTS, AT THE POINT OF, BESIDE THE POINT, BOILING POINT, CASE IN POINT, COME TO THE POINT, EXTRA POINT, MAKE A POINT, ON THE POINT OF, SORE SPOT or SORE POINT, STRETCH A POINT or STRAIN A POINT, TALKING POINT.

[point-blank]{adv.} Straightforwardly; bluntly; directly. •/Sue refused point-blank to discuss marriage with Sam./

[point of view]{n.} Attitude; opinion. •/From the American point of view, Fidel Castro is a bad neighbor to have./

[point out]{v.} 1. To show by pointing with the finger; point to; make clear the location of. •/The guide pointed out the principal sights of the city./ 2. To bring to notice; call to attention; explain. •/The policeman pointed out that the law forbids public sale of firecrackers./ •/The school secretary pointed out that the closing date for making applications had passed./

[point up]{v.} To show clearly; emphasize. •/The increase in crime points up the need for greater police protection./ •/Johnny’s report card points up his talent for math./

[poison-pen]{adj.} Containing threats or false accusations; written in spite or to get revenge, and usually unsigned. •/Mrs. Smith received a poison-pen letter telling her that her husband was untrue./ •/To get revenge on Mary, Alice wrote a poison-pen letter to the teacher and signed Mary’s name to it./

[poke] See: PIG IN A POKE, TAKE A PUNCH AT or TAKE A POKE AT.

[poke around] or [poke about]{v.} 1. To search about; look into and under things. •/The detective poked around in the missing man’s office./ 2. To move slowly or aimlessly; do little things. •/He didn’t feel well, and poked around the house./

[poke fun at] See: MAKE FUN OF.

[poles apart]{adj.} Completely different. •/The two brothers were poles apart in personality./ •/ It was hard for the members to make any decisions because their ideas were poles apart./

[polish off]{v.}, {informal} 1. To defeat easily. •/The Dodgers polished off the Yankees in four straight games in the 1963 World Series./ 2. To finish completely; finish doing quickly, often in order to do something else. •/The boys were hungry and polished off a big steak./ •/Mary polished off her homework early so that she could watch TV./

[polish the apple]{v. phr.}, {slang} To try to make someone like you; to try to win favor by flattery. •/Mary polished the apple at work because she wanted a day off./ •/Susan is the teacher’s pet because she always polishes the apple./ – [apple polisher]{n.}, {slang} A person who is nice to the one in charge in order to be liked or treated better; a person who does favors for a superior. •/Jane is an apple polisher. She is always helping the teacher and talking to him./ •/Joe is an apple-polisher. He will do anything for the boss./ Compare: EAGER BEAVER, YES-MAN. – [apple polishing]{n.}, {slang} Trying to win someone’s good-will by small acts currying favor; the behavior of an apple polisher. •/When John I brought his teacher flowers, everyone thought he was apple polishing./

[politics] See: PLAY POLITICS.

[pond] See: LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND.

[pool] See: CAR POOL.

[pooped out]{adj.}, {slang} Worn out; exhausted. •/Everyone was pooped out after the hike./ •/The heat made them feel pooped out./

[poor as a church mouse]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Penniless; broke; extremely poor. •/The newly arrived boat people were poor as church mice./

[poor-mouth]{v.} To be constantly complaining about one’s poverty; keep saying how one cannot afford the better things in life. •/Uncle Jack indulges in an awful lot of poor-mouthing, but we know that he has half a million dollars stashed away in a secret savings account./

[pop] See: EYES POP OUT.

[pop fly]{n.} A baseball batted high into the air but not very far from the plate. •/The batter hit a pop fly to the shortstop./

[pop in]{v. phr.} To suddenly appear without announcement. •/«Just pop into my office any time you’re on campus,» Professor Brown said./

[pop one’s cork] See: BLOW A FUSE, FLY OFF THE HANDLE, LOSE ONE’S MARBLES, LOSE ONE’S TEMPER.

[pop the question]{v. phr.}, {slang} To ask someone to marry you. •/After the dance he popped the question./ •/A man is often too bashful to pop the question./

[popup]{v.} 1. or [bob up] To appear suddenly or unexpectedly; show up; come out. •/Just when the coach thought he had everything under control, a new problem bobbed up./ •/After no one had heard from him for years, John popped up in town again./ 2. To hit a pop fly in baseball. •/Jim popped the pitch up./

[pork] See: SALT PORK.

[port of call]{n. phr.} 1. Any of the ports that a ship visits after the start of a voyage and before the end; a port where passengers or cargo may be taken on or put off; an in-between port. •/Savannah is a port of call for many Atlantic coasting vessels./ 2. A place you visit regularly or often; a stop included on your usual way of going. •/It was an obscure little restaurant which I had made something of a port of call./ •/His home had become one of my regular ports of call in Boston./

[port of entry]{n. phr.} 1. A port where things brought into the country to sell may pass through customs. •/Other ports of entry have been taking business from New York./ 2. A port where a citizen of another country may legally enter a country; a port having passport and immigration facilities. •/Airports have joined seaports as ports of entry for the visiting foreigner./

[position] See: SCORING POSITION.

[possessed of]{adj. phr.}, {formal} In possession of; having; owning. •/He was possessed of great wealth./ •/He was possessed of great self-confidence./

[possum] See: PLAY POSSUM.

[post] See: PROM PILLAR TO POST.

[pot] See: GO TO POT.

[potato] See: HOT POTATO.

[potboiler]{n.} A book, play, or film written for the primary purpose of earning money for the author. •/«Reading a cheap potboiler helps me go to sleep,» the professor wryly remarked./

[pot call the kettle black]{informal} The person who is criticizing someone else is as guilty as the person he accuses; the charge is as true of the person who makes it as of the one he makes it against. •/When the commissioner accused the road builder of bribery, the contractor said the pot was calling the kettle black./ •/Bill said John was cheating at a game but John replied that the pot was calling the kettle black./

[potluck] See: TAKE POTLUCK.

[potluck supper] See: COVERED-DISH SUPPER.

[potshot]{n.} A direct shot at an easy, stationary target from behind a protected position or camouflage; criticism. •/Modern journalists like to take potshots at the president of the United States./

[pound] See: PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH.

[pound away at]{v. phr.} 1. To attack; criticize. •/In his campaign speeches the candidate kept pounding away at the administration’s foreign policy./ 2. To work industriously. •/Mike was pounding away at the foundation of his new house with shovels and pickaxes./

[pound of flesh]{n. phr.}, {literary} The maximum payment authorized by law. •/He had hoped that Peter would be lenient regarding the interest they had agreed on, but Peter demanded his full pound of flesh./

[pound out]{v. phr.} 1. To play a piece of music very loudly on a percussion instrument. •/The boy was pounding out the tune «Mary had a little lamb» on the marimba./ 2. To flatten something with a hammer. •/The bodyshop uses special hammers to pound out the indentations in the bodies of cars./ 3. To produce a piece of writing on a typewriter in haste and without much care. •/She hurriedly pounded out a letter of recommendation for the foreign graduate student./

[pound the pavement]{v. phr.}, {informal} To walk up and down the streets; tramp about. •/John pounded the pavement looking for a job./ •/Mary and Bill pounded the pavement to find an apartment./

[pour] See: IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS.

[pour cold water on] See: THROW COLD WATER ON.

[pour it on thick] See: LAY IT ON THICK.

[pour money down the drain]{v. phr.} To spend one’s money unwisely; to waste one’s funds. •/«Stop supporting Harry’s drug habit,» Ralph said. «You’re just pouring money down the drain.»./

[pour oil on troubled waters]{v. phr.} To quiet a quarrel; say something to lessen anger and bring peace. •/The troops were nearing a bitter quarrel until the leader poured oil on the troubled waters./

[pour out]{v.} 1. To tell everything about; talk all about. •/Mary poured out her troubles to her pal./ 2. To come out in great quantity; stream out. •/The people poured out of the building when they heard the fire alarm./

[powder] See: TAKE A POWDER.

[powder room]{n.} The ladies' rest room. •/When they got to the restaurant, Mary went to the powder room to wash up./

[power behind the throne]{n. phr.} The person with the real power backing up the more visible partner (usually said about the wives of public figures). •/It is rumored that the First Lady it the power behind the throne in the White House./

[practice] See: IN PRACTICE also INTO PRACTICE, MAKE A PRACTICE OF, OUT OF PRACTICE.

[presence of mind]{n. phr.} Effective and quick decision-making ability in times of crisis. •/When Jimmy fell into the river, his father had the presence of mind to dive in after him and save him from drowning./

[present] See: AT PRESENT.

[press box]{n.} The place or room high in a sports stadium that is for newspaper men and radio and television announcers. •/In baseball the official scorer sits in the press box./

[press conference]{n. phr.} A meeting with news reporters. •/The reporters questioned the president about foreign affairs at the press conference./ •/The press conference with the senator was broadcast on television./

[press one’s luck] or [push one’s luck]{v. phr.} To depend too much on luck; expect to continue to be lucky. •/When John won his first two bets at the race track, he pressed his luck and increased his bets./ •/If you’re lucky at first, don’t press your luck./

[press the flesh]{v.}, {slang} To shake hands with total strangers by the hundreds, keeping an artificial smile all the way, in order to raise one’s popularity during political elections. •/Incumbent Governor Maxwell was pressing the flesh all day long at six different hotels./ Compare: BABY KISSER.

[pressure group]{n. phr.} An organization whose goal it is to create changes by lobbying for the benefit of its own members. •/Certain unscrupulous pressure groups stop at nothing to achieve their selfish aims./

[pretty] See: SITTING PRETTY.

[pretty kettle of fish] See: KETTLE OF FISH.

[pretty penny]{n. phr.} A large amount of money. •/Their new house is so big and modern that we’re sure it must have cost them a pretty penny./

[prevail upon] or [prevail on]{v.} To bring to an act or belief; cause a change in; persuade. •/He prevailed upon the musician to entertain instead of the absent speaker./ •/He prevailed upon me to believe in his innocence./

[prey on] or [prey upon]{v.} 1. To habitually kill and eat; catch for food. •/Cats prey on mice./ 2. To capture or take in spoils of war or robbery. •/Pirates preyed on American ships in the years just after the Revolutionary War./ 3. To cheat; rob. •/Gangsters preyed on businesses of many kinds while the sale of liquor was prohibited./ 4. To have a tiring and weakening effect on; weaken. •/Ill health had preyed on him for years./ •/Business worries preyed on his mind./

[prey on one’s mind]{v. phr.} To afflict; worry. •/He couldn’t sleep because his many debts were preying on his mind./

[price on one’s head]{n. phr.} Reward offered to anyone who catches a thief or a murderer. •/The hotel manager learned that the quiet man taken from his room by the police was a murderer with a price on his head./

[prick] See: KICK AGAINST THE PRICKS.

[prick up one’s ears]{v. phr.}, {informal} To come to interested attention; begin to listen closely; try to hear. •/The woman pricked up her ears when she heard them talking about her./

[pride] See: SWALLOW ONE’S PRIDE.

[pride must take a pinch] One must endure the minor pains and hardships one encounters while being made pretty. – A proverb. •/«Mother,» Sue cried, «stop pulling my hair!» «Just a moment, young lady,» the mother answered, while combing her hair. «Don’t you know that pride must take a pinch?»/

[pride oneself on]{v. phr.} To be proud ot, take satisfaction in; be much pleased by. •/She prided herself on her beauty./ •/He prided himself on his strength and toughness./ Compare: PLUME ONESELF.

[print] See: FINE PRINT, IN PRINT, OUT OF PRINT.

[private] See: IN PRIVATE.

[private eye]{n.}, {colloquial} A private investigator; a detective. •/Buddy Ebsen played a private eye on «Bamaby Jones.»/

[progress] See: IN PROGRESS.

[promise] See: AS GOOD AS ONE’S WORD, LICK AND A PROMISE.

[promise the moon]{v. phr.} To promise something impossible. •/A politician who promises the moon during a campaign loses the voters' respect./ •/I can’t promise you the moon, but I’ll do the best job I can./ Compare: ASK FOR THE MOON.

[proof of the pudding is in the eating] Only through actual experience can the value of something be tested. – A proverb. •/He was intrigued by the ads about the new high mileage sports cars. «Drive one, sir,» the salesman said. «The proof of the pudding is in the eating.»/

[prune] See: FULL OF BEANS or FULL OF PRUNES.

[psyched up]{adj.}, {informal} Mentally alert; ready to do something. •/The students were all psyched up for their final exams./

[psych out]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To find out the real motives of (someone). •/Sue sure has got Joe psyched out./ 2. To go berserk; to lose one’s nerve. •/Joe says he doesn’t ride his motorcycle on the highway anymore because he’s psyched out./ •/Jim psyched out and robbed a liquor store, when he has all he needs and wants!/

[Public] See: JOHN Q. PUBLIC.

[public] See: AIR ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC, IN PUBLIC, IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

[public-address system]{n.} A set of devices for making a speaker’s voice louder so that he can be heard by more people. •/The public-address system broke down during the senator’s speech./ •/The news was announced over the public-address system./

[public enemy]{n. phr.} A famous criminal. •/Al Capone of Chicago used to be Public Enemy Number One during prohibition./

[public speaker]{n.} A person who speaks to the public. •/A public speaker must appeal to all kinds of people./

[puffed up]{adj.} Elated; proud; conceited. •/Just because Bob inherited some money from his father is no reason for him to act so puffed up./

[pull] See: LONG HAUL or LONG PULL.

[pull a fast one]{v. phr.} To gain the advantage over one’s opponent unfairly; deceive; trick. •/When Smith was told by his boss that he might be fired, he called the company president, his father-in-law, and pulled a fast one by having his boss demoted./

[pull a long face] See: LONG FACE.

[pull date]{n.}, {informal} The date stamped on baked goods, dairy products, or other perishable foods indicating the last day on which they may be sold before they must be removed from the shelves in a retail store. •/This pie is way past the pull date – small wonder it’s rotten./

[pull down]{v.}, {informal} 1. To catch (a ball) after a hard run. •/The outfielder pulled down a long drive to center field./ 2. To earn. •/Mr. Blake pulls down $500 a week./ •/John pulled down an A in algebra by studying hard./ Compare: HAUL DOWN.

[pull down about one’s ears] or [pull down around one’s ears] See: ABOUT ONE’S EARS.

[pull in] See: HAUL IN.

[pull in one’s horns] or [draw in one’s horns]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To reduce your boasts; calm down from a quarrel; back down on a promise. •/He said he could beat any man there single-handed, but he pulled in his horns when Jack came forward./ 2. To cut back from one’s usual way of living; reduce spending or activities; save. •/After the business failed, Father had to pull in his horns./ •/As one advances in years, it is prudent to pull in one’s horns more and more as to physical activity./

[pull off]{v.}, {informal} To succeed in (something thought difficult or impossible); do. •/Ben Hogan pulled off the impossible by winning three golf tournaments in one year./ •/The bandits pulled off a daring bank robbery./ Compare: PUT ACROSS(2).

[pull one’s chestnuts out of the fire] To do someone else a great favor which they don’t really deserve, doing oneself a disfavor in the process. •/Small countries often have to pull the chestnuts out of the fire for their more powerful neighbors./

[pull oneself together]{v. phr.} To become calm after being excited or disturbed; recover self-command; control yourself. •/It had been a disturbing moment, but he was able to pull himself together./

[pull oneself up by the bootstraps] or [pull oneself up by one’s own bootstraps]{adv. phr.} To succeed without help; succeed by your own efforts. •/He had to pull himself up by the bootstraps./

[pull one’s leg]{v. phr.}, {informal} To get someone to accept a ridiculous story as true; fool someone with a humorous account of something; trick. •/For a moment, I actually believed that his wife had royal blood. Then I realized he was pulling my leg./ •/Western cowboys loved to pull a stranger’s leg./ Compare: STRING ALONG. – [leg-pulling]{n.} •/Strangers were often fooled by the cowboys' leg-pulling./

[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 any punches./ Contrast: STRAIGHT PROM THE SHOULDER.

[pull one’s teeth]{v. phr.} To take power away from; make powerless. •/The general pulled the teeth of the rebel army by blocking its ammunition supply line./ •/The student government council was so irresponsible that the principal pulled its teeth./

[pull one’s weight]{v. phr.} To do your full share of work; do your part. •/In a small shop, it is important that each man pull his weight./ •/When Mother was sick in the hospital, Father said each child must pull his own weight./ Compare: WORTH ONE’S SALT.

[pullout]{n.} An evacuation. •/The pullout of the American military proceeded on schedule./

[pull out]{v. phr.} 1. To withdraw; leave unceremoniously. •/The defeated army hastily pulled out of the occupied territories./ 2. To leave (said about trains). •/The train pulled out of Grand Central Station just as the foreign students got there./ 3. To remove by order; evacuate. •/Napoleon pulled his beaten troops out of Russia./

[pull out of a hat]{v. phr.}, {informal} To get as if by magic; invent; imagine. •/When the introduction to a dictionary tells you how many hours went into its making, these figures were not pulled out of a hat./ •/Let’s see you pull an excuse out of your hat./

[pull over]{v.} To drive to the side of the road and stop. •/The policeman told the speeder to pull over./ •/Everyone pulled over to let the ambulance pass./

[pull rank]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To assert one’s superior position or authority on a person of lower rank as in exacting a privilege or a favor. •/How come you always get the night duty? – Phineas Leman pulled rank on me./

[pull something on one]{v. phr.} To perpetrate something prejudicial; deceive. •/Larry pulled a very dirty trick on Ann when, after going with her for three years, he suddenly married another girl./

[pull strings] or [pull wires]{v. phr.}, {informal} To secretly use influence and power, especially with people in charge or in important jobs to do or get something; make use of friends to gain your wishes. •/If you want to see the governor, Mr. Root can pull strings for you./ •/Jack pulled wires and got us a room at the crowded hotel./ – [wire-puller]{n.} •/Bill got a ticket for speeding, but his father is a wire-puller and got it fixed./ – [wire-pulling]{n.} •/It took some wire-pulling to get the mayor to come to the party./

[pull the plug on]{v. phr.}, {slang} To expose (someone’s) secret activities. •/The citizens' committee pulled the plug on the mayor, and he lost his election./

[pull the rug out from under]{v. phr.}, {informal} To withdraw support unexpectedly from; to spoil the plans of. •/Bill thought he would be elected, but his friends pulled the rug out from under him and voted for Vin./ •/We were planning a vacation, but the baby’s illness pulled the rug out from under us./

[pull the wool over one’s eyes]{v. phr.}, {informal} To fool someone into thinking well of you; deceive. •/The businessman had pulled the wool over his partner’s eyes about their financial position./ •/Bob tried to pull the wool over his teacher’s eyes, but she was too smart for him./

[pull through]{v.} 1. To help through; bring safely through a difficulty or sudden trouble; save. •/A generous loan showed the bank’s faith in Father and pulled him through the business trouble./ 2. To recover from an illness or misfortune; conquer a disaster; escape death or failure. •/By a near-miracle, he pulled through after the smashup./

[pull together]{v.} To join your efforts with those of others; work on a task together; cooperate. •/Many men must pull together if a large business is to succeed./ •/Tim was a good football captain because he always got his teammates to pull together./

[pull up]{v.} 1. To check the forward motion of; halt; stop. •/He pulled up his horse at the gate./ 2. To tell (someone) to stop doing something; say (someone) is doing wrong and must stop; scold. •/Jim talked rudely to Mother, and Father pulled him up./ •/Ann said in her report that America was discovered in 1634, and the teacher pulled her up./ 3. To stop moving forward; halt. •/The car slowed down and pulled up at the curb./ 4. To come even with; move up beside. •/The other boat pulled up alongside us./

[pull up one’s socks]{v. phr.} To try to do better, either in terms of one’s behavior or at a task one is performing. •/I’ll have to pull up my socks if I am going to finish my work today./

[pull up short]{v. phr.} To suddenly stop. •/He pulled up short in his red car at the corner when he saw a pregnant lady crossing./ •/When Mark saw that he was hurting Jill’s feelings, he pulled up short and started to talk about something entirely different./

[pull up stakes]{v. phr.}, {informal} To leave the place where you have been living. •/We are going to pull up stakes and move to California./ •/The Jones family pulled up stakes three times in two years./

[pull wires] See: PULL STRINGS.

[punch] See: BEAT TO THE PUNCH, PACK A PUNCH, PULL ONE’S PUNCHES, TAKE A PUNCH AT.

[punch-drunk]{adj.} 1. Dazed or become dulled in the mind from being hit in the head. •/He was a punch-drunk boxer who made his living shining shoes./ 2. In a foggy state of mind; groggy. •/Mary was so thrilled at winning the contest she acted punch-drunk./ •/Mark was punch-drunk for a few minutes after he fell off his bicycle./

[puppy love] also [calf love]{n.}, {informal} The first love of very young people. •/When John and Mary began going around together in junior high school, their parents said it was just puppy love./

[pure and simple]{adj.} Simply stated; basic. – Follows the noun it modifies and is used for emphasis. •/The problem, pure and simple, is finding a baby-sitter./ •/The question, pure and simple, is whether you will support me./ Compare: BOIL DOWN(3).

[purpose] See: AT CROSS PURPOSES, ON PURPOSE, TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES.

[purse] See: LINE ONE’S POCKETS also LINE ONE’S PURSE.

[purse strings]{n.} Care or control of money. •/Dad holds the purse strings in our family./ •/The treasurer refused to let go of the club’s purse strings./

[push around]{v.}, {informal} To be bossy with; bully. •/Don’t try to push me around!/ •/Paul is always pushing the smaller children around./

[push off] or [shove off]{v.} 1. To push a boat away from the shore. •/Before Tom could reach the boat, Jake had shoved off./ 2. {slang} To start; leave. •/We were ready to push off at ten o’clock, but had to wait for Jill./ •/Jim was planning to stay at the beach all day, but when the crowds arrived he shoved off./

[push on]{v. phr.} To press forward; proceed forward laboriously. •/The exhausted mountain climbers pushed on, despite the rough weather, as the peak was already in sight./

[push one’s luck] See: PRESS ONE’S LUCK.

[pushover]{n.} 1. Something easy to accomplish or overcome. •/For Howard steering a boat is a pushover as he was raised on a tropical island./ 2. A person easily seduced. •/It is rumored that she is a pushover when she has a bit to drink./

[push over]{v. phr.} To upset; overthrow. •/She is standing on her feet very solidly; a little criticism from you certainly won’t push her over./ •/The wind in Chicago can be so strong that sometimes I’m afraid I’ll get pushed over./

[push the panic button]{v. phr.}, {slang} To become very much frightened; nervous or excited, especially at a time of danger or worry. •/John thought he saw a ghost and pushed the panic button./ •/Keep cool; don’t hit the panic button!/ Syn.: LOSE ONE’S HEAD.

[push-up]{n.} An exercise to build strong arms and shoulders, in which you lie on your stomach and push your body up on your hands and toes. •/At the age of seventy, Grandpa still does twenty push-ups every day./ •/The football team does push-ups every day./

[push up daisies]{v. phr.}, {slang} To be dead and buried. •/I’ll be around when you’re pushing up daisies./ •/Don’t play with guns or you may push up the daisies./

[put] See: HARD PUT or HARD PUT TO IT, STAY PUT.

[put about]{v. phr.} – Nautical usage. To turn in the opposite direction; turn around. •/When we saw the storm clouds thickening in the sky, we put about quickly and raced ashore./

[put a bee in one’s bonnet] See: BEE IN ONE’S BONNET.

[put a bug in one’s ear] or [put a flea in one’s ear] See: BUG IN ONE’S EAR.

[put across]{v.} 1. To explain clearly; make yourself understood; communicate. •/He knew how to put his ideas across./ Compare: GET ACROSS. 2. {informal} To get (something) done successfully; bring to success; make real. •/He put across a big sales campaign./ •/The new librarian put across a fine new library building./ Syn.: PUT OVER(2). Compare: PULL OFF.