bring to

bring to idiom
  1. Restore to consciousness, as in I'll see if these smelling salts will bring her to. Also see bring around, def. 2.
  2. Cause a vessel to stop by heading into the wind or some other means. For example, As they neared the anchorage, they brought the boat to. This usage was first recorded in 1753.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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