bring someone to justice • do justice to someone bring someone to justice—arrest, try and sentence a person who has committed a crime: Cannot this infamous scoundrel be brought to justice ?” I inquired. do justice to someone—acknowledge smb.’s merits: For many years the London public has failed to do justice to the prima ballerina. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase do justice to oneself—(also: do oneself justice) perform smth. in a manner worthy of one’s abilities: I’m not going to enter into the question of whether Tagore did justice to himself as translator. bring someone under control • bring someone under one’s control bring someone under control—subject a person to restraint of behavior: Princess Máxima tried to bring the children under control with a stern face, but failed at the attempt. bring someone under one’s control—achieve dominion over a person; subject smb. to one’s authority: The dictator was at last able to bring the army under his control . bring someone up • bring someone up short bring someone up—raise a child; educate a person: I was brought up on a farm in Somerset and have been riding and hunting almost since I could walk. bring someone up short—confound or confuse smb.: A trans- lator is often brought up short by simple words that have no exact equivalent in another language. bring something into challenge • lay challenge to something bring something into challenge—express serious doubts about smth.: After each publication … there always turn up some authors who bring into challenge these conclusions. lay challenge to something—1. lay claim to smth.; demand smth. as one’s due: We can’t imagine that Calgary thinks it can lay challenge to being the most cultured. 2. = bring some- thing into challenge: But was it suicide? Too many deaths, too many suspicious circumstances lay challenge to that pronun- ciation. bring something into question • call something into question bring something into question—raise the issue of smth.: My promotion brings into question the status of certain other members of staff. call something into question—(also: put something in question) express doubts about smth.: His moral standards have been called into question . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase call the question—used in formal procedures as an in- vitation to cut off any further debate and proceed to a vote on the topic in question: Before proposing to “call the question ,” there should be some indication that most members have made up their mind. bring something out in someone • bring some- thing out of someone bring something out in someone—cause a particular intrinsic quality to be displayed by a person: War sometimes brings out the worst in people. bring something out of someone—cause smth. to be said by a person: We threatened him a little and that brought the truth out of him. bring something to a pretty pass • bring some- thing to pass bring something to a pretty pass—reduce smth. to an unfor- tunate condition: But what has brought the company to such a pretty pass since I last worked for it? bring something to pass—(dated) cause smth. to happen; carry out or accomplish smth.: Strafford really went some way towards bringing his scheme to pass . bring something to light • shed light on some- thing bring something to light—reveal smth.; make smth. known: Facts of the utmost importance will be brought to light by the ringing of birds. shed light on something—(also: throw light on something ) clar- ify or explain smth.: Recent research has shed new light on the causes of the disease. bring something to naught • set something at naught bring something to naught—(of plans, efforts, etc.) ruin or render useless: An alliance between them, albeit temporary … was quite effective enough to bring the best efforts to naught . set something at naught—(dated) disregard smth.; consider smth. to be of little value: The tendency of all lunacy is to set at naught first the optional and then the obligatory rules of conduct. bring something to the ground • get something off the ground bring something to the ground—1. (of a plane) land: He made the landing as carefully as he could and brought the plane to the ground with as much care as possible. 2. topple smth. by a blow or shot: But it was the arrow of the elder man which pierced the animal and brought it to the ground . 3. treat smth. so badly as to destroy it: They wanted to launch a general strike which would bring the country to the ground . get something off the ground—1. (of a stranded ship) get afloat: There was ten feet of water inside the ship, so there was no longer any hope to get the ship off the ground . 2. put a rocket into space or get a plane to fly: I’ll announce the weather to the passengers as soon as we get the plane off the ground . 3. (of a project, scheme, etc.) launch; get started: To get the plan off the ground , Carter has asked that funding for the program be increased. bring something under control • take control of something bring something under control—manage to obtain one’s au- thority or power over a situation, etc.: The fire started yester- day afternoon and was finally brought under control late last night. take control of something—1. assume charge of a situation, etc.: That opportunity resides in creating a new generation of entrepreneurs who will take control of the destiny of our na- tion. 2. (of a political party) win a majority of elected places: The outcome of legislative races in California could be sig- nificant in deciding who will take control of the Congress. bring the house down • pull the house down bring the house down —(of a performance) produce loud and prolonged applause; be received very successfully: There was one scene which never failed to bring the house down . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase shout the house down—(coll.) make a terrible commo- tion: I can’t study while my little brother is shouting the house down . pull the house down—destroy or demolish a building or structure: The lessor was desirous of pulling the house down and building a new one. – 59 – bring the house down