pull the plug on

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Discontinue, end, as in The government pulled the plug on that program. [First half of 1900s]

Remove all life-supporting equipment, as in The family debated whether it was time to pull the plug on him. [Second half of 1900s] Although this idiom undoubtedly alludes to cutting off electricity to an electrical device, it originally referred to the removal of a stopper that flushed an old-style toilet.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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Words nearby pull the plug on

pull someone's chain, pull someone's leg, pull something, pull strings, pull tab, pull the plug on, pull the rug out from under, pull the wool over someone's eyes, pull through, pull together, pull-top

How to use pull the plug on in a sentence

Just the hard-on before you shoot unarmed members of the public.
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France 24 is providing live, round-the-clock coverage of both scenes as they progress.
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It is a spy series at its core, but you guys never really pull from the headlines.
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Sands was involved in a scandalous-for-the-time romance with the carpenter and there were rumors she was pregnant with his child.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Three on-the-record stories from a family: a mother and her daughters who came from Phoenix.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Sleek finds it far harder work than fortune-making; but he pursues his Will-o'-the-Wisp with untiring energy.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Strange to say, the silken cord yielded to the first pull, as if nothing had been wrong with it at all!
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
Never grasp a Fern plant from above and try to pull it away, as this will be almost sure to result in damage.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
"I ordered you not to come," said Aspinall: "I can still pull a trigger, Sir," replied the man.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
You never know when you are going to stumble upon a jewel in the most out-of-the-way corner.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay