brought



be brought in from the cold

To be allowed to join or participate in a group from which one was previously excluded; to be accepted in a certain social setting. A relatively unknown director for most of her career, she was brought in from the cold after her work with the A-list celebrity garnered the attention of a major Hollywood studio. The striking workers were finally brought in from the cold after the union and corporate leaders settled the wage dispute.
See also: brought, cold

bring (someone) in from the cold

To allow someone to join or participate in a group from which he or she was previously excluded; to accept someone into a certain social setting. A relatively unknown director for most of her career, her work with the A-list celebrity garnered the attention of a major Hollywood studio and finally brought her in from the cold. The company finally brought its striking workers in from the cold after months of intense negotiations.
See also: bring, cold

bring (something) into effect

To cause (something) to apply, begin operating, or take effect; to begin implementing or enforcing (something). The new government has vowed to bring several policies into effect, aimed at helping struggling citizens get by. The new law will be brought into effect on the first of January.
See also: bring, effect

bring (someone) down a notch (or two)

To reduce or damage someone's ego or pride; to humble or humiliate someone. I'm really glad that pompous oaf lost his court case—maybe that will bring him down a notch or two. It's about time that someone brought Sarah down a notch. Her snotty arrogance is intolerable!
See also: bring, down, notch

be brought down a notch (or two)

To have one's ego or pride reduced or damaged; to be humbled or humiliated. I hope that pompous oaf has been brought down a notch or two after losing his court case. If Sarah keeps acting like a spoiled brat to everyone, she's going to be brought down a notch some day.
See also: brought, down, notch

be brought down a peg (or two)

To have one's ego or pride reduced or damaged; to be humbled or humiliated. I hope that pompous oaf has been brought down a peg or two after losing his court case. If Sarah keeps acting like a spoiled brat to everyone, she's going to be brought down a peg some day.
See also: brought, down, peg

be brought to account

To be made to take responsibility and/or accept punishment for one's actions. If you committed a crime, you will be brought to account soon enough.
See also: account, brought

I wasn't brought up in the woods to be scared by owls.

Rur. I am not foolish or easily frightened. His threats don't scare me. I wasn't brought up in the woods to be scared by owls. Mary: You'll be sorry you ever crossed me. Jane: I wasn't brought up in the woods to be scared by owls.
See also: brought, owl, scare, up, wood

be brought/called to account

  (formal)
to be forced to explain something you did wrong, and usually to be punished What concerns us most is that the people responsible for the violence should be brought to account.
See also: account, brought

look like something the cat brought/dragged in

  (informal)
if someone looks like something the cat brought in, they are very untidy and dirty You can't possibly go to school like that - you look like something the cat dragged in!
See also: brought, cat, like, look

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
LarsLAHSH (Swedish, Norwegian), LAHRS (Danish, Finnish)Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, German
Amalieah-MAH-lee-əGerman
KÁRi-Ancient Scandinavian
Farrell['færəl]
Pal-Albanian
Hesham-Arabic