[bringdown]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. (from "bring down", past "brought down"). A critical or cutting remark said sarcastically in order to deflate a braggard’s ego. •/John always utters the right bringdown when he encounters a braggard./ 2. A person who depresses and saddens others by being a chronic complainer. •/John is a regular bringdown./

[bring down]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To deflate (someone’s ego). •/John brought Ted down very cleverly with his remarks./ 2. To depress (someone). •/The funeral brought me down completely./

[bring down about one’s ears] or [bring down around one’s ears] See: ABOUT ONE’S EARS.

[bring down the house]{v. phr.}, {informal} To start an audience laughing or clapping enthusiastically. •/The principal’s story was funny in itself and also touched their loyalties, so it brought down the house./ •/The President made a fine speech which brought down the house./

[bring home]{v.} To show clearly; emphasize; make (someone) realize; demonstrate. •/The accident caused a death in his family, and it brought home to him the evil of drinking while driving./ •/A parent or teacher should bring home to children the value and pleasure of reading./

[bring home the bacon]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To support your family; earn the family living. •/He was a steady fellow, who always brought home the bacon./ 2. To win a game or prize. •/The football team brought home the bacon./

[bring in]{v.} In baseball: To enable men on base to score, score. •/Dick’s hit brought in both base runners./ •/A walk and a triple brought in a run in the third inning./

[bring into line]{v. phr.} To make someone conform to the accepted standard. •/Sam had to be brought into line when he refused to take his muddy shoes off the cocktail table./

[bring off]{v.} To do (something difficult); perform successfully (an act of skill); accomplish (something requiring unusual ability). •/By skillful discussion, Mr. White had brought off an agreement that had seemed impossible to get./ •/He tried several times to break the high jump record, and finally he brought it off./ Compare: PUT OVER(2).

[bring on]{v.} To result in; cause; produce. •/The murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the summer of 1914 brought on the First World War./ •/Spinal meningitis brought on John’s deafness when he was six years old./ •/Reading in a poor light may bring on a headache./

[bring out]{v.} 1. To cause to appear; make clear. •/His report brought out the foolishness of the plan./ •/Brushing will bring out the beauty of your hair./ 2. To help (an ability or skill) grow or develop. •/The teacher’s coaching brought out a wonderful singing voice of great power and warmth./ 3. To offer to the public by producing, publishing, or selling. •/He brought out a new play./ •/The company brought out a line of light personal airplanes./

[bring round] See: BRING AROUND.

[bring suit against]{v. phr.} To sue someone in a court of law. •/Fred brought suit against Tom for fraud and embezzlement./

[bring to]{v.} (stress on "to") 1. To restore to consciousness; wake from sleep, anesthesia, hypnosis, or fainting. •/Smelling salts will often bring a fainting person to./ Compare: BRING AROUND(1). 2. To bring a ship or boat to a stop. •/Reaching the pier, he brought the boat smartly to./

[bring to a close]{v. phr.} To terminate; cause to end. •/The meeting was brought to an abrupt close when the speaker collapsed with a heart attack./

[bring to a head]{v. phr.} To cause some activity to reach the point of culmination. •/Time is running out, gentlemen, so let us bring this discussion to a head./

[bring to bay]{v. phr.} To chase or force into a place where escape is impossible without a fight; trap; corner. •/The police brought the robber to bay on the roof and he gave up./ •/The fox was brought to bay in a hollow tree and the dogs stood around it barking./ Compare: AT BAY.

[bring to heel] See: TO HEEL.

[bring to light]{v. phr.} To discover (something hidden); find out about; expose. •/Many things left by the ancient Egyptians in tombs have been brought to light by scientists and explorers./ •/His enemies brought to light some foolish things he had done while young, but he was elected anyway because people trusted him./ Compare: COME TO LIGHT.

[bring to one’s knees]{v. phr.} To seriously weaken the power or impair the function of. •/The fuel shortage brought the automobile industry to its knees./

[bring to pass]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make (something) happen; succeed in causing. •/By much planning, the mother brought the marriage to pass./ •/The change in the law was slow in coming, and it took a disaster to bring it to pass./ Compare: BRING ABOUT, COME TO PASS.

[bring to terms]{v. phr.} To make (someone) agree or do; make surrender. •/The two brothers were brought to terms by their father for riding the bicycle./ •/The war won’t end until we bring the enemy to terms./ Contrast: COME TO TERMS.

[bring up]{v.} 1. To take care of (a child); raise, train, educate. •/He gave much attention and thought to bringing up his children./ •/Joe was born in Texas but brought up in Oklahoma./ 2. {informal} To stop; halt. — Usually used with "short". •/He brought the car up short when the light changed to red./ •/Bill started to complain, I brought him up short./ 3. To begin a discussion of; speak of; mention. •/At the class meeting Bob brought up the idea of a picnic./

[bring up the rear]{v. phr.} 1. To come last in a march, parade, or procession; end a line. •/The fire truck with Santa on it brought up the rear of the Christmas parade./ •/The governor and his staff brought up the rear of the parade./ 2. {informal} To do least well; do the most poorly of a group; be last. •/In the race, John brought up the rear./ •/In the basketball tournament, our team brought up the rear./

[bring] or [wheel in] or [out] or [up the big guns] {v. phr.} To make use of a concealed plan in order to defeat an opponent in an argument or in a game, debate, or competition. •/The new computer software company decided to bring out the big guns to get ahead of the competition./

[broke] See: GO BROKE, GO FOR BROKE, STONE-BROKE OT DEAD BROKE or FLAT BROKE, STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK.

[Bronx cheer]{n. phr.}, {slang} A loud sound made with tongue and lips to show opposition or scorn. •/When he began to show anti-union feelings, he was greeted with Bronx cheers all around./

[broom] See: NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN.

[broth] See: SCOTCH BROTH.

[brow] See: BY THE SWEAT OF ONE’S BROW.

[brown] See: DO UP BROWN.

[brown-bagger]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A person who does not go to the cafeteria or to a restaurant for lunch at work, but who brings his homemade lunch to work in order to save money. •/John became a brown-bagger not because he can’t afford the restaurant, but because he is too busy to go there./

[brown-nose]{v.}, {slang}, {avoidable}, {though gaining in acceptance} To curry favor in a subservient way, as by obviously exaggerated flattery. •/Max brown-noses his teachers, that’s why he gets all A’s in his courses./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.