bring someone up short

bring someone up short
bring someone up sharply & bring someone up short
to surprise or shock someone; to make someone face something unpleasant, suddenly. •

The slap in the face brought me up sharply.

The loud bang brought me up short.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • bring someone up short — bring (someone) up short to cause someone to suddenly stop what they are doing. A sharp stab of pain in my right knee brought me up short …   New idioms dictionary

  • bring someone up short — bring (or pull) someone up short make someone check or pause abruptly he was entering the office when he was brought up short by the sight of John …   Useful english dictionary

  • bring (or pull) someone up short — cause someone to stop or pause abruptly. → short …   English new terms dictionary

  • bring up short — bring (someone) up short to cause someone to suddenly stop what they are doing. A sharp stab of pain in my right knee brought me up short …   New idioms dictionary

  • cut someone/something short — interrupt someone or something; bring an abrupt or premature end to something said or done Peter cut him short rudely …   Useful english dictionary

  • short — short1 [ ʃɔrt ] adjective *** ▸ 1 small in height/distance ▸ 2 time: not long ▸ 3 expressed in few words ▸ 4 with fewer words/letters ▸ 5 not having enough ▸ 6 about memory ▸ 7 rude and unfriendly ▸ 8 about vowel/syllable ▸ 9 full of butter/fat ▸ …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bring up — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms bring up : present tense I/you/we/they bring up he/she/it brings up present participle bringing up past tense brought up past participle brought up 1) [often passive] to look after a child until he or she… …   English dictionary

  • bring — W1S1 [brıŋ] v past tense and past participle brought [bro:t US bro:t] [T] [: Old English; Origin: bringan] 1.) a) to take something or someone with you to the place where you are now, or to the place you are talking about →↑take ▪ Did you bring… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bring sth about phrasal — verb (T) to make something happen: Computers have brought about many changes in the workplace. bring sb/sth around/round phrasal verb (T) 1 bring the conversation around/round to to deliberately and gradually introduce a new subject into a… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • short — 1 adjective LENGTH/HEIGHT/DISTANCE 1 measuring a small amount in distance or length: a short corridor with two rooms on each side | a short skirt | It s a short drive from the airport. | Anita had her hair cut short. 2 PERSON someone who is short …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • bring up — verb 1. summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic (Freq. 3) raise the specter of unemployment he conjured wild birds in the air call down the spirits from the mountain • Syn: ↑raise, ↑conjure, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”