Akademik

pull in one's horns
verb
make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity
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We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him

-

He backed out of his earlier promise

-

The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns

• Syn:
↑retreat, ↑pull back, ↑back out, ↑back away, ↑crawfish, ↑crawfish out, ↑withdraw
• Derivationally related forms: ↑withdrawer (for: ↑withdraw), ↑withdrawal (for: ↑withdraw)
• Verb Group:
↑withdraw, ↑retreat, ↑pull away, ↑draw back, ↑recede, ↑pull back, ↑retire, ↑move back
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s

* * *

phrasal
: draw in one's horns

Useful english dictionary. 2012.