bringing to a head
Making crisis imminent
Bringing to a head means forcing a situation to its critical point, where resolution becomes unavoidable.
The image is of a boil or abscess that swells until it must burst.
A confrontation, simmering tension, or long-developing crisis gets brought to a head when circumstances demand action: The budget dispute brought things to a head.
- culminationHighest or final point
- provocationAct that triggers response
- fruitionAttainment of goals
- tensionStretched or strained state
- catharsisPurification through emotional expression
peak · maneuvering · finalization · zenith · closure · forcing · conclusion · pressure · climax · orchestration · confrontation · face to face · coming to blows · crunch time · moment of truth · apex · triggering · final straw
bringing to a headkicking the can down the road
Postponing action on something
deferring · delaying · stalling · postponing · dragging out
bringing to a headdefusing
Neutralizing an explosive device
de-escalating · diffusing · calming down · cooling down · cooling off
bringing to a headleaving alone
Ceasing to disturb
letting nature take its course · standing back · suppressing · ignoring · avoiding
bring, brings, brought, head, heads, headed, heading, headway, headless