Be a crowd-puller

Posted by Anka on August 17, 2003

Hi, I desperately need to know the origins of the following phrases:

1)be a crowd-puller
2)be laid bare for the killing
3)be on the wrong side of the tracks
4) be torn limb from limb
5)come back from the dead
6) the end justifies the means
7)hold the whip-hand

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Anna