Set 43 · Study 1 / 5

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pull no punches

idiom/pʊl noʊ ˈpʌntʃɪz/

to be brutally honest without softening criticism

The coach pulled no punches when criticizing the team’s poor performance.

word origin — From boxing — fighters sometimes 'pulled their punches' to soften hits, so 'no punches' meant fighting hard.