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

bring down the curtain on something • draw the
curtain on something
bring down the curtain on something —(also: ring down the
curtain on something ) cause an activity, business, etc. to come
to an end: Lewis refuses to fix a date when he will bring down
the curtain on his incredible fight career.
draw the curtain on something —(also: draw the curtain over
something ) refrain from discussing smth.; be discreet or secre-
tive about smth.: What happened when he got home, I dare
not describe. Better draw the curtain on the scene.
bring home the bacon • bring home the silver
bring home the bacon —
1
. work and earn money for one’s
family: Single mothers get little support, and the system has
long been constructed on the premise that the husbands will
bring home the bacon. 2. succeed in an undertaking; accom-
plish smth. of significant value: The company’s aggressive pro-
motional efforts seem to have brought home the bacon, despite
technical problems.
bring home the silver —(Sport) take second place; come in
second (with reference to the silver medals awarded in competi-
– 57 –
bring home the bacon

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tions): Canada brought home the silver on a day when the op-
ponent were simply better.
bring one’s mind to something • bring something
to mind
bring one’s mind to something —direct one’s attention to
smth.: Again, Phillips cannot bring his mind to touch the
issue squarely; it keeps shying into side issues.
bring something to mind— make a person recall smth.: It
brought to mind an experience I had in Labrador this past
summer when I was up there fishing.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase bring something to a head—
1
. bring smth. to an end;
complete smth.: This brings to a head and culminates all the
nameless massacres in Asia Minor. 2. cause smth. to reach a
critical stage: Matters have been brought to a head in the peace
talks; tomorrow they will either succeed or fail.