wirepulling
Americannoun
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an act of pulling wires.
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the use of influence to manipulate persons or organizations, as political organizations, for one's own ends.
Etymology
Origin of wirepulling
First recorded in 1825–35; wire + pull ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. )
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.
Bonsal came to his rescue, and so became acquainted with wirepulling, involved, ambiguous Colonel Edward House, of Texas, the Harry Hopkins of the Wilson regime.
From Time Magazine Archive
He did no visible wirepulling, showed no interest in kingmaking, and�except for visits with aging, trigger-tempered Teamster Chief Dan Tobin�he steered clear of smoke-filled rooms.
From Time Magazine Archive
Equally out of date is the fervent wirepulling that once plagued Ivy admissions men.
From Time Magazine Archive
There ensued seven days of picturesque wrangling and wirepulling, which the French press characterized almost unanimously as "scandalous."
From Time Magazine Archive
The idea of ecclesiastical wirepulling was repugnant to his nature.
From The Brentons by Dexter, Wilson C.
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.
