pull up

pull up idiom
  1. Stop or cause to stop, as in He pulled up his horse, or They pulled up in front of the door. [Early 1600s]
  2. Catch up, advance in relation to others, as in a race. For example, She was behind at the start, but she quickly pulled up. [Late 1800s] Also see pull oneself up by one's bootstraps.

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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