pull up your pants
The phrase "pull up your pants" can be both a literal instruction and a metaphorical expression urging better behavior or responsibility.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
A2General
(literal)To lift trousers to a proper position on the waist.
Example
- Before running, he had to pull up his pants to keep them from falling.
C1Fashion
(cultural, informal)A critique of wearing trousers too low, often associated with specific subcultures.
B2Behavior
(idiomatic, informal)To encourage someone to improve their behavior or take responsibility.
Example
- After his poor performance at work, his boss told him to pull up his pants and start meeting deadlines.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "pull up your pants":
pull uppull up onpull overbrace upbig-boy pantsdrop troustand upwear the trousers