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

pussyfoot around • tomcat around
pussyfoot around —avoid committing oneself; proceed eva-
sively or cautiously: I think it’s great that Randi actually speaks
his mind and doesn’t pussyfoot around to appease others.
tomcat around —pursue women promiscuously: If he really,
really, loved you he wouldn’t be tomcatting around. He wants
to have a bit on the side and not go through the divorce…
put a bee in someone’s bonnet • put a bug in
someone’s ear
put a bee in someone’s bonnet—give a person a compulsive
idea that may seem excentric or odd: Mayoral candidate Mar-
cic says his campaign has “put a bee in his bonnet” about pub-
lic drinking and it is an issue he will pursue.
put a bug in someone’s ear —(also: put a flea in someone’s ear)
give a person a hint or advice about smth.: I tried to put a
bug in his ear about making his next film about bike touring,
but I’m not sure how successful I was. Cf..: get the bug —(sl.)
develop a strong interest or enthusiasm for a particular activity:
Once you start learning about computers, you get the bug and
spend more and more time with them.
put a pistol to one’s head • put a pistol to
 someone’s head
put a pistol to one’s head —commit suicide; shoot oneself:
I’m blowed if I don’t put a pistol to my head, and end it, Mrs.
Johnson.
put a pistol to someone’s head —use threats to force a person
to do smth. (also: hold a pistol to someone’s head): Last time he
signed his contract after prolonged negotiations and putting
a pistol to his head would be wrong.
put a question to someone • put someone to the
question
put a question to someone —ask a person about smth.: I have
been trying to put this question to the general for the last year
or two — even succeeding in planting it in the Bulletin of the
Atomic Scientists.
put someone to the question —(dated) subject smb. to torture
as a means of obtaining confession: “Did he confess his wiz-
ardry when you put him to the question?” “Alas, no,” replied
Maître Jacques.