to deal with something honestly without hiding anything.

One congressional leader pulled no punches, saying “we have a recession.”

The 20-minute training video pulls no punches, showing chilling pictures of accident victims.

Usage notes: often used in the form not pull any punches:

The television network isn't pulling any punches with the subject matter on its new show.

Opposite of: pull (your/its) punches

• each to her own
• each to hisown
• each to own
• eagle-eyed
• early bird catches the worm.
• early on
• earn brownie points
• earn spurs
• earn stripes
• earn your spurs
• earn your stripes
• ears are flapping
• ears must be burning
• earth moved
• earth-shattering
• easier said than done
• easy as A, B, C
• easy as falling off a log
• easy as pie
• easy come, easy go
• Easy does it!
• easy does it
• easy money
• eat alive
• eat away at