Meaning of pull the plug | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To unplug or cut power to a machine.
   intransitive
2. To turn off life support.
   informal, intransitive
3. To commit suicide.
   informal, intransitive
4. To cease to support; to halt.
   informal, intransitive
5. To cease production or publication.
   informal, intransitive

Equivalents

Examples

“Shut off the machine and pull the plug.”

“He put an end to the loud music by pulling the plug.”

“1981, The Jim Carroll Band, People Who Died Cathy was eleven when she pulled the plug / On twenty-six reds and a bottle of wine”

“"The Times said it was suicide," said Knight. "He burned himself out. There wasn't anything left." The Dean leveled his eyes at Reid, searching for more, wanting more, not wanting more, and Reid continued, "So he pulled the plug." "Pulled the plug? The paper said it was cyanide," his voice filled with curiosity.”

“It's a wonder the director didn't pull the plug on that project months ago.”

“"We have a deal that stopped me pulling the plug on services. But only just. I was hours from having to stop the Underground and buses from running in this, the greatest city on Earth. How insane is that? How could that even be allowed to happen? "I waited until five to midnight on the day when I would have had to pull the plug for the next day, before I got the letter from the Government on an interim funding settlement.”

CEFR level