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

draw something up • pull something up
draw something up —
1
. move smth. by pulling forward: The
boat was drawn up and made fast at the landing. 2. (of a
bridge) lift at one end so as to prevent passage over it or allow
passage through the channel which it crosses: The gate was
shut, the bridge was drawn up. 3. (of a vehicle) bring to a stop;
place close to a building: A van was drawn up on a path out-
side the door. 4. formulate a plan, program, etc.: The report
was drawn up by men who had the means of knowing the
truth.
pull something up —
1
. (of weeds) take out of the ground:
You’ll find my mother in the garden as usual, pulling up un-
wanted plants. 2. = draw something up 
1
: The only mark that
was left behind by Angus was the mark where he pulled his
boat up on to the shore. 3. = draw something up 2: A few min-
utes later, Rupert crossed the drawbridge and it was pulled
up. 4. = draw something up 3: He had pulled his car up to a
gentle stop, swung sideways in his seat, and looked at the
cottage. 5. (coll.) improve smth.: You’ll have to pull up your
English to a higher standard if you want to pass the examina-
tion.
draw the badger • overdraw one’s badger
draw the badger —provoke a person to reveal his thoughts,
etc.: The Parnellite taunts regarding Balfour’s indifference have
at last drawn the badger.
overdraw one’s badger —(dated sl., in humorous reference to
the above) overdraw one’s banking account: His checks no
longer drew the cash…. He had overdrawn his badger.
draw the curtain over something • ring down the
curtain on something
draw the curtain over something —(also: draw the curtain on
something ) refrain from discussing smth.; be secretive about
smth.: The current leader has been trying to draw the curtain
over the events of the past decade.
ring down the curtain on something —(also: bring down the
curtain on something ) cause an activity, business, etc. to come
to an end: Very shortly, school bells will ring down the curtain
on the final term of the millennium.