Pulling a punch

Posted by Lewis on June 12, 2003

In Reply to: Don't pull any punches posted by Diego on June 12, 2003

: Ok, Thanks very much ESC :) I'm very much abliged :D

To "pull" a punch means to use less than full force - as if the puncher "pulled back" their punch.

To say to somebody "Don't pull any punches!" is a way of saying that the person has been overly direct and perhaps too rude in how they have expressed themself.