A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

pull one’s finger out 
(have a finger in
something )
pull out 
(draw out)
pull rank with someone 
(take rank of
someone)
pull someone in
(draw someone in)
pull someone out
(draw someone out)
pull someone under 
(pull someone
down)
pull someone up 
(pull someone down)
pull someone’s leg
(pull foot)
pull something in
(draw something in)
pull something out
(draw something
out)
pull something out of a hat
(pick
something out of a hat)
pull something up
(draw something
up)
pull the carpet from under someone
(call someone on the carpet)
pull the house down
(bring the house
down)
pull the stops out 
(pull the plug out)
pull the string of the shower-bath
(pull on the heartstrings)
pull the strings
(pull on the heart-
strings)
pull wires 
(pull one’s wire)
pulling boat
(pull-boat)
pumpman
(pump attendant)
pure and simple 
(plain and simple)
purple hearts
(Purple Heart)
push one’s luck
(push one’s fortune)
push oneself forward 
(push oneself )
push the panic button 
(push someone’s
buttons)
push up daisies 
(come up daisies)
pussyfoot 
(cat’s paw)
put a bug in someone’s ear 
(put a bee
in someone’s bonnet)
put a foot in
(get a foot in)
put a foot wrong
(catch someone on the
wrong foot)
put a name to someone
(give a name
to someone)
put a pistol to someone’s head
(put a
pistol to one’s head)
put a plug in for someone 
(pull the
plug on someone)
put a plug in for something 
(pull the
plug on something )
put a word in
(get a word in)
put all one’s eggs in one basket 
(hang
all one’s bells on one horse)
put all one’s money upon the wrong
horse 
(hang all one’s bells on one
horse)
put an end to something
(make an end
of something )
put cash on the line 
(put cash on the
barrelhead)
put heads together
(knock heads
together)
put ideas into someone’s head
(put an
idea into someone’s head)
put in a word 
(get in a word)
put in one’s spoke 
(put a spoke in
someone’s wheel)
put in something 
(input something )
put it across to someone 
(put it across
someone)
put it on 
(get it on)
put it on the line 
(put cash on the bar-
relhead)
put it over to someone 
(put it over on
someone)
put on steam
(let off steam)
put one’s face on 
(put one’s best face on)
put one’s feet up
(get one’s feet under
the table)
put one’s foot on it
(put one’s foot in
it)
put one’s foot to the floor
(put one’s
foot down)
put one’s hair up
(let one’s hair down)
put one’s hand to something
(put one’s
hand on something )
put one’s hand to the plough 
(follow
the plough)
put one’s hands in one’s pockets
(put
one’s hand in one’s pocket)
put one’s head down
(hold one’s head
down)
put one’s life in someone’s hands 
(take
one’s life in both hands)
put one’s money on something
(put
one’s money in something )
put one’s name to something 
(put
one’s name down for something )
put one’s nose into something
(have
one’s nose in something )
put one’s two cents in 
(spend a fortune)
put oneself out of the way
(get out of
the way)
put out the fire 
(lay out the fire)
put over 
(lay over)
put someone down for something 
(put
someone up for something )
put someone in for something
(let
someone in for something )
put someone in his place
(put oneself in
someone’s place)
put someone in the picture
(bring
someone into the picture)
put someone in the wrong 
(get someone
in wrong )
put someone inside 
(put someone in)
put someone off 
(put someone away)
put someone on a charge
(put someone
in charge)
put someone on ice
(ice someone)
put someone on the needle 
(needle
someone)
– 365 –
Phrase Index

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put someone out 
(lay someone out)
put someone out of the way 
(lay some-
one out)
put someone out to grass 
(lay someone
out in lavender)
put someone right 
(do right by some-
one)
put someone through it 
(put someone
through)
put someone through to someone
(put someone on to someone)
put someone to shame 
(bring shame on
someone)
put someone to sleep 
(lay someone to
sleep)
put someone to the question 
(put a
question to someone)
put someone to trouble
(get someone
into trouble)
put someone up 
(lay someone up)
put someone up the creek 
(row someone
up Salt River)
put someone up to something
(put
someone up for something )
put someone up to the ropes 
(pin
someone on the ropes)
put someone’s pecker up
(keep one’s
pecker up)
put something across to someone 
(put
something across someone)
put something away 
(lay something off )
put something behind 
(put something
back)
put something down 
(lay something
down)
put something down as something 
(put
something down for something )
put something down to something
(put something down for something )
put something into life
(put life into
something )
put something off 
(lay something off )
put something on 
(lay something on)
put something on its feet
(put some-
thing on foot)
put something out 
(lay something out)
put something out of hand 
(do some-
thing out of hand)
put something over 
(lay something
over)
put something over to someone 
(put
something over on someone)
put something to 
(lay something to)
put something to rest 
(give something a
rest)
put something to the question
(put
something in question)
put something up 
(lay something up)
put teeth into something 
(get one’s
teeth into something )
put the acid on someone 
(put someone
to the acid test)
put the arm on someone
(put one’s
hands on someone)
put the boot in 
(get a foot in)
put the cat among the pigeons 
(let the
fox guard the henhouse)
put the finger on someone
(lay a finger
on someone)
put the freeze on someone
(freeze
someone out)
put the heat on someone
(put the chill
on someone)
put the pot on
(put someone’s pot on)
put the question
(ask the question)
put the saddle on the wrong horse
(bet on the wrong horse)
put the seal on something
(put one’s
seal to something )
put the shoe on the right foot 
(put the
shoe on the other foot)
put the skids under something 
(put
the skids on something )
put the tin lid on something 
(lift the
lid off something )
put the touch on someone
(get in
touch with someone)
put the weight
(put on weight)
put up a black
(put the black)
put up a brave front
(brave it out)
put up a show 
(put up a good show)
put your money where your mouth is
(put one’s money in something )
quake in one’s boots 
(have the wobbly
boot on)
qualify for something
(qualify as
something )
quality Joe
(good Joe)
quality time 
(good time)
Queen Ann’s dead 
(Charlie’s dead)
queen’s metal 
(king of metals)
Queens’ College
(Queen’s College)
question of time
(question of the hour)
quick one
(fast one)
quit the service
(go out of service)
quite a lot 
(quite a few)
quite the thing
(not quite the thing )
radio network
(radio net)
railroad car
(rail car)
rainy day 
(rain day)
raise one’s sights 
(raise one’s eyes)
raise the curtain 
(curtain raiser)
raise the dust 
(raise dust)
raise the stakes 
(pick up stakes)
raise the wind 
(get the wind up)
raise waves 
(make waves)
rake someone over the coals 
(rake over
old coals)
rat out on someone 
(rat on someone)
rat-racing 
(rat race)
rat run
(rat race)
reach for the sky
(reach for the moon)
reach out to someone
(reach out after
someone)
reach the limit 
(go the limit)
reach to the bottom of something
(reach the bottom of something )
react against something 
(react on some-
thing )
react to something
(react on something )
read me 
(read my lips)
read someone’s lips 
(read my lips)
ready with something 
(ready at some-
thing )
real live
(real life)
real time
(actual time)
reasonable with someone
(reasonable
to someone)
receive an award 
(receive a reward)
reception order
(receiving order)
reception room
(receiving room)
reckon on something
(reckon of some-
thing )
red as cherries
(red as a beetroot)
red band 
(red ribbon)
red cent 
(pink money)
red cross
(Red Cross, the)
red hat
(red cap)
red hots 
(red hot peppers)