pull in (one's) horns

pull in (one's) horns

To begin to act more cautiously. I just got this quarter's budget report, and we definitely need to pull in our horns and spend less going forward.See also: horn, pull

draw in one's horns and pull in one's horns

Fig. to back down from a fight. For a minute it looked like they were gonna start sluggin' each other, but then they drew in their horns. We tried to calm him down and get him to pull in his horns.See also: and, draw, horn, pull

pull in one's horns

Also, draw in one's horns. 1. Retreat, back down, restrain oneself, as in The town manager wanted higher taxes but public reaction made him draw in his horns. This expression alludes to the snail's habit of drawing in the soft projecting parts of its body when it is threatened. The idea was first expressed in the 15th century as shrink one's horns, and the idiom with draw developed about the same time. The idiom with pull did not appear until a century later. 2. Reduce expenses, as in That drop in profits will force the company to pull in its horns. [Late 1800s] See also: horn, pull

pull in your horns

or

draw in your horns

If you pull in your horns or draw in your horns, you start behaving more carefully than you did before, especially by spending less money. The world's big spenders have pulled in their horns during the recession. Customers are drawing in their horns at a time of high interest rates. Note: When snails sense danger, they pull in their `horns', which are the stalks that their eyes are on. See also: horn, pull

draw/pull in your ˈhorns

start being more careful in your behaviour, especially by spending less money than before: After making huge losses, the company had to draw in its horns by cancelling some major projects.See also: draw, horn, pull