pull
[ pool ]
/ pʊl /
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verb (used with object)
to draw or haul toward oneself or itself, in a particular direction, or into a particular position: We pulled the sled up a hill.She pulled the child out of the path of the swerving bicycle.
to draw or tug at with force: To ring the bell, just pull the rope.
to rend or tear: to pull a cloth to pieces.
to draw or pluck away from a place of growth, attachment, etc.: to pull a tooth;to pull weeds.
to strip of feathers, hair, etc., as a bird or hide.
to draw out (as a knife or gun) for ready use (usually followed by on): Do you know what to do when someone pulls a knife on you?
Informal. to perform successfully (often followed by off): They pulled a spectacular coup.
Informal. to carry out (especially something deceitful or illegal): Police believe the men pulled all three robberies. What kind of trick did she pull this time?
to put on or affect: He pulled a long face when I reprimanded him.
to withdraw or remove: to pull an ineffective pitcher.
to attract or win: to pull many votes in the industrial areas.
to bring (a horse) to a stand by pulling on the reins.
Printing, Graphics. to take (an impression or proof) from type, a cut or plate, etc.: to pull a print.
to be provided with or rowed with (a certain number of oars): This boat pulls 12 oars.
to propel by rowing, as a boat.
to strain (a muscle, ligament, or tendon).
to stretch (taffy or chewing gum).
Military. to be assigned (a specific task or duty): I pulled guard duty our first night in port.
to hold in or check (a racehorse), especially so as to prevent from winning.
Sports. to hit (a ball) so that it travels in a direction opposite to the side from which it was struck, as when a right-handed batter hits into left field.
verb (used without object)
to exert a drawing, tugging, or hauling force (often followed by at).
to inhale through a pipe, cigarette, etc.
to become or come as specified, by being pulled: This rope will pull.
to row.
to proceed by rowing.
(of an advertisement)
- to have effectiveness, as specified: The ad pulled badly.
- to be effective: That spot announcement really pulled!
noun
the act of pulling or drawing.
force used in pulling; pulling power.
a drawing in of smoke or a liquid through the mouth: He took a long, thoughtful pull on his pipe. I took a pull from the scout's canteen.
Informal. influence, as with persons able to grant favors.
a part or thing to be pulled; a handle or the like: to replace the pulls on a chest of drawers.
a spell, or turn, at rowing.
a stroke of an oar.
Informal. a pulled muscle: He missed a week's work with a groin pull.
a pulling of the ball, as in baseball or golf.
Informal. the ability to attract; drawing power.
Informal. an advantage over another or others.
Verb Phrases
pull away,
- to move or draw back or away; withdraw.
- to free oneself with force: He tried to pull away from his opponent's powerful grip.
- to move or start to move ahead: The car pulled away into traffic. The faster runners began to pull away from the others.
pull down,
- to draw downward: to pull a shade down.
- to demolish; wreck.
- to lower; reduce.
- Informal. to receive as a salary; earn: It wasn't long before he was pulling down more than two hundred thousand a year.
pull for, to support actively; encourage: They were pulling for the Republican candidate.
pull in,
- to reach a place; arrive: The train pulled in early.
- to tighten; curb: to pull in the reins.
- Informal. to arrest (someone): The police pulled her in for questioning.
pull off, Informal. to perform successfully, especially something requiring courage, daring, or shrewdness: We'll be rich if we can pull the deal off.
pull out,
- to leave; depart: The ship pulled out of the harbor.
- to abandon abruptly: to pull out of an agreement.
pull over, to direct one's automobile or other vehicle to the curb; move out of a line of traffic: The police officer told the driver to pull over.
pull through, to come safely through (a crisis, illness, etc.); survive: The patient eventually pulled through after having had a close brush with death.
pull up,
- to bring or come to a halt.
- to bring or draw closer.
- to root up; pull out: She pulled up all the crab grass in the lawn.
QUIZ
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Idioms about pull
pull apart, to analyze critically, especially to point out errors: The professor proceeded to pull the student's paper apart.
pull oneself together, to recover one's self-control; regain command of one's emotions: It was only a minor accident, but the driver couldn't seem to pull himself together.
pull someone's leg. leg (def. 26).
pull the plug on. plug (def. 35).
Origin of pull
First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb pullen, Old English pullian “to pluck, pluck the feathers of, pull, tug”; compare Middle Low German pūlen “to strip off husks, pick,” Old Norse pūla “to work hard”
synonym study for pull
2. See draw.
OTHER WORDS FROM pull
pull·a·ble, adjectivepull·er, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use pull in a sentence
Twenty-nine percent of the time the video pull was tagged as “not helpful” by investigators, and 16 percent of the time the footage didn’t lead to charges or prosecution, although some cases are still under investigation.
San Diego Can’t Actually Turn Its Smart Streetlights Off|Jesse Marx|November 2, 2020|Voice of San DiegoThere’s this gravitational pull in moments of chaos that compels you to go fix it — to go do the game plan before you have the game plan.
7 life lessons on leadership during COVID and beyond|Sponsored Content: Integrate|October 26, 2020|Search Engine LandMercury doesn’t have as much gravity, and so we wouldn’t feel as much pull as we feel on Earth.
Clean, cut and paintAnd … the pull …Once the mask has properly cured, I clean the mask with soap and water.
Consumers are exercising this pull factor more vocally than before, but they also have some way to go.
Indra Nooyi: Why I’m optimistic about business’s role in solving climate change|jakemeth|October 9, 2020|FortuneA lot of Virginians will recognize his last name from Chesty Puller, who was the most decorated Marine in U.S. history.
Puller is a guy who represents his country and believes in what the country represents.
His latest novel, Zero Day, launches a new series with a hero named John Puller, a loner military investigator.
“He was not the trigger-puller,” says Scott Silliman, a Duke University law professor.
Yet, though ostensibly free, these local bodies are practically in the power of the political wire-puller, or cacique.
Spanish Life in Town and Country|L. Higgin and Eugne E. StreetAt 2.50 it broke up and revealed that favourite sail in America a balloon jib-topsail, and a rare good puller it is.
Yachting Vol. 2|Various.An idea came to me to use the kitchen spoon, and I found that it worked even better than a regular tack puller.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|VariousIt was decided that Gadget, a rather miserable animal, who had shown herself useless as a puller thus far, should be killed.
The Home of the Blizzard|Douglas MawsonTwo other dogs, Jappy and Fusilier, had been previously killed, as neither was of any use as a puller.
The Home of the Blizzard|Douglas Mawson
British Dictionary definitions for pull
pull
/ (pʊl) /
verb (mainly tr)
(also intr) to exert force on (an object) so as to draw it towards the source of the force
to exert force on so as to remove; extractto pull a tooth
to strip of feathers, hair, etc; pluck
to draw the entrails from (a fowl)
to rend or tear
to strain (a muscle, ligament, or tendon) injuriously
(usually foll by off) informal to perform or bring aboutto pull off a million-pound deal
(often foll by on) informal to draw out (a weapon) for usehe pulled a knife on his attacker
informal to attractthe pop group pulled a crowd
(also intr) slang to attract (a sexual partner)
(intr; usually foll by on or at) to drink or inhale deeplyto pull at one's pipe; pull on a bottle of beer
to put on or make (a grimace)to pull a face
(also intr; foll by away, out, over, etc) to move (a vehicle) or (of a vehicle) be moved in a specified mannerhe pulled his car away from the roadside
printing to take (a proof) from type
to withdraw or removethe board decided to pull their support
sport to hit (a ball) so that it veers away from the direction in which the player intended to hit it (to the left for a right-handed player)
cricket to hit (a ball pitched straight or on the off side) to the leg side
hurling to strike (a fast-moving ball) in the same direction as it is already moving
(also intr) to row (a boat) or take a stroke of (an oar) in rowing
to be rowed bya racing shell pulls one, two, four, or eight oars
(of a rider) to restrain (a horse), esp to prevent it from winning a race
(intr) (of a horse) to resist strongly the attempts of a rider to rein in or check it
pull a fast one slang to play a sly trick
pull apart or pull to pieces to criticize harshly
pull your head in Australian informal be quiet!
pull one's punches
- informal to restrain the force of one's criticisms or actions
- boxing to restrain the force of one's blows, esp when deliberately losing after being bribed, etc
pull one's weight informal to do one's fair or proper share of a task
pull strings informal to exercise personal influence, esp secretly or unofficially
pull someone's leg informal to make fun of, fool, or tease someone
noun
an act or an instance of pulling or being pulled
the force or effort used in pullingthe pull of the moon affects the tides on earth
the act or an instance of taking in drink or smoke
something used for pulling, such as a knob or handle
informal special advantage or influencehis uncle is chairman of the company, so he has quite a lot of pull
informal the power to attract attention or support
a period of rowing
a single stroke of an oar in rowing
the act of pulling the ball in golf, cricket, etc
the act of checking or reining in a horse
the amount of resistance in a bowstring, trigger, etc
See also pull about, pull back, pull down, pull in, pull off, pull on, pull out, pull over, pull through, pull together, pull up
Derived forms of pull
puller, nounWord Origin for pull
Old English pullian; related to Icelandic pūla to beat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with pull
pull
In addition to the idioms beginning with pull
- pull a boner
- pull a fast one
- pull away
- pull back
- pull down
- pull in
- pulling teeth
- pull in one's horns
- pull no punches
- pull off
- pull oneself together
- pull oneself up by the bootstraps
- pull one's punches
- pull one's weight
- pull out
- pull out all the stops
- pull out of a hat
- pull over
- pull rank
- pull round
- pull someone's chain
- pull someone's leg
- pull something
- pull strings
- pull the plug on
- pull the rug out from under
- pull the wool over someone's eyes
- pull through
- pull together
- pull up
- pull up stakes
- pull wires
also see:
- fast one, pull a
- have pull with
- like pulling teeth
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.