pull-up
Americannoun
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an exercise consisting of chinning oneself, as on a horizontal bar attached at each end to a doorpost.
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a flight maneuver in which an aircraft climbs sharply from level flight.
verb
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(tr) to remove by the roots
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to move level (with) or ahead (of) or cause to move level (with) or ahead (of), esp in a race
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to stop
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(tr) to rebuke
noun
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an exercise in which the body is raised up by the arms pulling on a horizontal bar fixed above the head
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old-fashioned a roadside café
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Stop or cause to stop, as in He pulled up his horse , or They pulled up in front of the door . [Early 1600s]
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Catch up, advance in relation to others, as in a race. For example, She was behind at the start, but she quickly pulled up . [Late 1800s] Also see pull oneself up by one's bootstraps .
Etymology
Origin of pull-up
First recorded in 1850–55; noun use of verb phrase pull up
Vocabulary lists containing pull-up
Physical Education - Introductory
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Physical Education - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pull up to a stop sign at the same time as a Waymo and it would wait, as if to say, “No, please, after you.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025
Pull up your favorite AI chatbot and ask it about the weather for this weekend, how to score the best holiday deals, or to tell you the meaning of life.
From Barron's • Oct. 23, 2025
Pull up to the sunny grounds of the W Hotel in Costa Rica’s Reserva Conchal, and it feels like stepping into the heart of nature — think “Jurassic Park,” minus the dinosaurs.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2025
Pull up your chair for a quick civics refresher.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2024
Pull up stakes and head for Anilin to look for Denna, perhaps.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.