English idiom

pull yourself together

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

To regain control of your emotions and calm down.

Why this phrase?

Scattered emotions are pictured as parts of the self that must be gathered back into a controlled whole.

Example

“Pull yourself together; the interview starts in five minutes.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

cool as a cucumber

very calm and composed, especially under pressure

blow off steam

to release pent-up energy or emotion through some activity

cut loose

to abandon restraint and behave freely or wildly

drive someone up the wall

to make someone feel extremely annoyed or frustrated

get on someone's nerves

to repeatedly irritate or annoy someone

go bananas

to become wildly excited, angry, or otherwise out of control

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

markdown