pulling boat—a small boat having a flat or rounded bottom and rowlocks for the oars: As one who has paddled thousands of miles facing forward in canoes I couldn’t get used to facing aft in a pulling boat . pump attendant • pumpman pump attendant—a person who serves motor fuel at a garage or gas station: Harry was pump attendant and not in charge of mechanics. pumpman—a man in charge of the pumps: The strikers threaten to call out the engineers and pump-men , which would result in the flooding of the mines. pupil teacher • student teacher pupil teacher —(UK hist.) a boy or girl preparing to be a teacher, whose time was divided between teaching in an ele- mentary school and being taught by the head teacher: The pupil-teacher , as a rule, we fear, learns little and teaches less. student teacher —a student of a training college teaching in a school for a certain period as part of the curriculum: A new attitude in the schools would encourage student teachers to take religious education as a subsidiary subject at colleges of education. Purple Heart • purple hearts Purple Heart—(U.S.) a military decoration for those wounded in action: Mason returned to Pasadena wearing a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart . purple hearts—(Drug users) heart-shaped stimulant tablets, especially of amphetamine (also: pink hearts): They took more interest in life and stopped taking purple hearts . purple state • red state purple state —(U.S.) a state which may vote Democratic or Republican: New Hampshire has been called a purple state for its mix of red (Republican) and blue (Democratic) voters in 2000. red state —(U.S.) a state voting Republican in a given elec- tion, or tending to vote Republican in general: In John Ash- croft’s home state of Missouri, Bush received 54 percent of the vote, making it a red state . push one’s fortune • push one’s luck push one’s fortune—make an effort to win a good position in the world: I am tired of this life. I want to push my fortune . What is there here for me? push one’s luck—(also: press one’s luck) try to make too much of an advantage; expect continued good fortune: He could have been satisfied with this victory. Instead, he chose to push his luck to see just how far he could go. push oneself • push oneself forward push oneself—make an effort; force oneself to do smth.: I will push myself to live my life to the fullest and improve this world I live in. push oneself forward—try to force people’s attention on one- self (to make them notice one’s abilities, etc.): I do find it painful to push myself forward to complete strangers, in per- son, by phone or mail. push someone’s buttons • push the panic button push someone’s buttons—(also: press someone’s buttons) draw a strong emotional reaction, especially anger, from a person: He knew how to push my buttons better than anyone else but I kept my cool. push the panic button—(also: press the panic button) overreact to a stressful situation: Everybody is concerned but I don’t think anybody ought to push the panic button just yet. pussyfoot around • tomcat around pussyfoot around —avoid committing oneself; proceed eva- sively or cautiously: I think it’s great that Randi actually speaks his mind and doesn’t pussyfoot around to appease others. tomcat around—pursue women promiscuously: If he really, really, loved you he wouldn’t be tomcatting around . He wants to have a bit on the side and not go through the divorce… put a bee in someone’s bonnet • put a bug in someone’s ear put a bee in someone’s bonnet—give a person a compulsive idea that may seem excentric or odd: Mayoral candidate Mar- cic says his campaign has “put a bee in his bonnet ” about pub- lic drinking and it is an issue he will pursue. put a bug in someone’s ear—(also: put a flea in someone’s ear) give a person a hint or advice about smth.: I tried to put a bug in his ear about making his next film about bike touring, but I’m not sure how successful I was. Cf..: get the bug—(sl.) develop a strong interest or enthusiasm for a particular activity: Once you start learning about computers, you get the bug and spend more and more time with them. put a pistol to one’s head • put a pistol to someone’s head put a pistol to one’s head—commit suicide; shoot oneself: I’m blowed if I don’t put a pistol to my head , and end it, Mrs. Johnson. put a pistol to someone’s head—use threats to force a person to do smth. (also: hold a pistol to someone’s head): Last time he signed his contract after prolonged negotiations and putting a pistol to his head would be wrong. put a question to someone • put someone to the question put a question to someone—ask a person about smth.: I have been trying to put this question to the general for the last year or two—even succeeding in planting it in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. put someone to the question—(dated) subject smb. to torture as a means of obtaining confession: “Did he confess his wiz- ardry when you put him to the question ?” “Alas, no,” replied Maître Jacques. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase call someone into question—doubt the qualifications or value of a person: Because of her poor record, we were forced to call Dr. Jones into question . put a spoke in someone’s wheel • put in one’s spoke put a spoke in someone’s wheel—said of an action which is likely to hold back a person or proceeding: I have never hinted to Quennebert all the nasty little ways in which you have tried to put a spoke in his wheel . put in one’s spoke—attempt to give advice, or have some say, in a matter: Ulbricht also put in his spoke and said, “We shall do everything to safeguard the prestige of the Westerners.” put an idea into someone’s head • put ideas into someone’s head put an idea into someone’s head—1. make a person think of smth.: They put an idea into my head . How about having an auction at my party? 2. give smb. undesirable or harmful notions: My dear old boy, what can have put the idea into your head that Europe is against us? put ideas into someone’s head—(also: give someone ideas) 1. = put an idea into someone’s head 2: If I ever hear you or any of the others trying to put ideas into his head about making easy money, I swear I’ll knock that person’s teeth in. 2. give a pump attendant – 274 –