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Vocabulary : Idioms : Clothing : pull your socks up

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pull your socks up Informal

Meaning: You can say "pull your socks up" to someone if you think they should improve the way they are behaving or the way they are doing something.

For example:

  • He'll lose his job unless he pulls his socks up and starts doing a lot better.

  • The coach said I have to pull my socks up or I'll lose my spot on the team.

Note: You should only say this to someone such as your child, your student, your employee, or possibly to a friend. You shouldn't say it to someone like your boss, your teacher, your parents, or anyone you should speak to respectfully.

Quick Quiz:

His teacher told Jason to pull his socks up because
  1. they didn't look good
  2. he was studying too much
  3. his grades weren't good enough

Discuss: pull your socks up

Idiom of the Day

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