What does "Pull your head in" mean?
It means stop showing off, stop interfering, or behave properly. It is a blunt way of telling someone they have gone too far.
Hear an Aussie say it
The saying
Pull your head in
Example
Pull your head in, mate.
How Aussies use it
At the footy
Dave: Get off the field, ref! You're hopeless!
Raj: Pull your head in, mate. There are kids here.
The ref is the referee. Raj is telling Dave to stop yelling and behave.
With friends
Josh: I'm the best driver here. Everyone else is hopeless.
Ella: Pull your head in. You reversed into a bin last week.
Ella is telling Josh to stop showing off.
At work
Omar: I told Hana how she should run her project.
Grace: Maybe pull your head in. It's her project.
Here it means stop interfering.
How to reply
- "Fair enough. Sorry." Fair enough means you're right.
- "Alright, alright." A light way to say okay, I'll stop.
When to use it
Use it with friends who are showing off, being rude or getting involved in something that is not their business. It is like saying calm down or back off. It is blunt, so it works best with people who know you well.
When not to use it
It can sound aggressive. Don't say it to your boss, a customer, a stranger or a child. With people you don't know well, say "please stop" or "that's not okay".
Questions about "Pull your head in"
Is pull your head in rude?
It is blunt more than rude. It is not swearing, but it tells someone off, so your tone matters.
What can I say instead?
Calm down, that's enough, or let them handle it, depending on what the person is doing.
Do Aussies still say pull your head in?
Yes. You can still hear it when someone has gone too far.
