pull one's finger out
To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You need to pull your finger out and finish this work.”
“He pulls his finger out whenever the boss walks into the room.”
“If you want to pass the exam, you need to pull your finger out and start studying today.”
“The kitchen staff had to pull their fingers out when a bus full of hungry tourists arrived unexpectedly for lunch.”
“We really need to pull our fingers out and book the flights before the prices go up again next week.”
“The manager warned the team that they must pull their fingers out if they hope to meet the project deadline before the end of the month.”
disputed origin
Probably a clipping of the more visceral instruction to pull one’s finger out of one’s arse, the phrase suggests an individual who has been idling when they ought to have been working. The exact origins remain unproven, though the idiom is frequently linked to the notion that one should not sit on one’s hands. It serves as a concise, if somewhat indelicate, request for a sudden increase in physical or professional momentum.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026