haul

[ hawl ]

verb (used with object)

1. to pull or draw with force; move by drawing; drag:

   They hauled the boat up onto the beach.

2. to cart or transport; carry:

   The locomotive hauled freight over the Wasatch Mountains between Ogden, Utah, and Green River, Wyoming.

3. to lower; cause to descend (often followed by down ):

   As the students gathered around the flagpole, the school custodian hauled down the flag.

4. to bring before an authority (often followed by before, in, to, into, etc.):

   He was hauled before the judge.

   She hauled me into the principal’s office.

verb (used without object)

1. to pull or tug with force or effort:

   The sailors hauled on the oars as hard as they could.

2. to go or come to a place, especially with effort:

   After much carousing in the streets, they finally hauled into the tavern.

3. to cart or transport, or to move freight commercially:

   Ours is one of many Canadian trucking companies hauling south of the border.

4. Nautical.
   1. to sail, as in a particular direction:

      They sailed to the west of Corsica, and then hauled south again.

   2. to draw or pull a vessel up on land, as for repairs or storage.
   3. (of the wind) to shift to a direction closer to the heading of a vessel ( veer ).
   4. (of the wind) to change direction, shift, or veer (often followed by round or to ):

      During the early morning hours the wind hauled northward and increased in intensity, with accompanying heavy seas.

noun

1. a strong pull or tug:

   He felt a sudden haul on the other end of the rope.

2. an act or instance of transporting something, or the load or quantity transported:

   You have so little stuff to move, I can probably do it in two hauls with my pickup.

3. the distance or route over which anything is transported or carried:

   I’ve been using this truck for a year now on a weekly 30-mile haul.

4. Fishing.
   1. the quantity of fish taken at one draft of the net:

      We got such a huge haul of fish that we could hardly carry them home.

   2. the draft of a fishing net.
   3. the place where a seine is hauled.
5. the act of taking or acquiring something, or something taken or acquired:

   The thieves' haul included several valuable paintings.

6. Digital Technology. a video, photo, or report of something taken or acquired:

   He shops the flea markets over the weekend and then posts his haul on Monday afternoon.

verb phrase

1. 1. to bring before a superior for judgment or reprimand; call to account:

      They were hauled up on a drug trafficking charge.

   2. to come to a halt; stop:

      As night was falling we finally hauled up at an old farmhouse owned by a friendly couple.

   3. Nautical. to change the course of (a sailing vessel) so as to sail closer to the wind.
   4. Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to come closer to the wind.
   5. Nautical. (of a vessel) to come to a halt.
2. 1. Nautical. to change a ship's course so as to get farther off from an object.
   2. to withdraw; leave.
   3. Informal. to draw back the arm in order to strike; prepare to deal a blow:

      He hauled off and struck the insolent lieutenant a blow to the chin.

haul

/ hɔːl /

verb

1. to drag or draw (something) with effort
2. tr to transport, as in a lorry
3. nautical to alter the course of (a vessel), esp so as to sail closer to the wind
4. tr nautical to draw or hoist (a vessel) out of the water onto land or a dock for repair, storage, etc
5. intr nautical (of the wind) to blow from a direction nearer the bow Compare veer 1
6. intr to change one's opinion or action

noun

1. the act of dragging with effort
2. (esp of fish) the amount caught at a single time
3. something that is hauled
4. the goods obtained from a robbery
5. a distance of hauling

   a three-mile haul

6. the amount of a contraband seizure

   arms haul

   drugs haul

7. in the long haul or over the long haul
   1. in a future time
   2. over a lengthy period of time

Other Words From

• re·haul verb
• un·hauled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of haul¹

First recorded in 1550–60; earlier hall, variant of hale ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of haul¹

C16: from Old French haler, of Germanic origin; see hale ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. haul around, Nautical.
   1. to brace (certain yards of a sailing vessel).
   2. (of the wind) to change in a clockwise direction.
2. haul in with, Nautical. to approach.
3. haul / shag ass, Slang: Vulgar. to get a move on; hurry.

More idioms and phrases containing haul

• long haul
• rake (haul) over the coals

Synonym Study

See draw.

Example Sentences

So far, the film is tracking for a solid opening weekend with a projected haul of $66 million, according to forecasting site Box Office Theory.

From Los Angeles Times

The company says the "beta" Haul shopping experience will see all products sold backed by its product guarantees to provide confidence about their safety.

From BBC

The online shopping giant unveiled Haul as a mobile-only experience available in its Shopping app for US customers on Wednesday.

From BBC

It says shoppers can expect "crazy low prices" on Haul products that are "worth the wait" of up to two weeks for delivery.

From BBC

McIlroy leads South Africa's Thriston Lawrence in the European tour's Race to Dubai standings and needs a top-10 finish this week to guarantee a sixth title, which would draw him level with the late Seve Ballesteros and bring him to within two of Colin Montgomerie's record haul.

From BBC

Related Words

• bring
• carry
• cart
• drag
• heave
• hoist
• lift
• lug
• pack
• rake
• remove
• ride
• tote
• tow
• transport