pull

[ pool ]

verb (used with object)

1. 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.

2. to draw or tug at with force:

   To ring the bell, just pull the rope.

   Antonyms: push

3. to rend or tear:

   to pull a cloth to pieces.

4. to draw or pluck away from a place of growth, attachment, etc.:

   to pull a tooth;

   to pull weeds.

5. to strip of feathers, hair, etc., as a bird or hide.
6. 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?

7. Informal. to perform successfully (often followed by off ):

   They pulled a spectacular coup.

8. 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?

9. to put on or affect:

   He pulled a long face when I reprimanded him.

10. to withdraw or remove:

    to pull an ineffective pitcher.

11. to attract or win:

    to pull many votes in the industrial areas.

12. to bring (a horse) to a stand by pulling on the reins.
13. Printing, Graphics. to take (an impression or proof ) from type, a cut or plate, etc.:

    to pull a print.

14. to be provided with or rowed with (a certain number of oars):

    This boat pulls 12 oars.

15. to propel by rowing, as a boat.
16. to strain (a muscle, ligament, or tendon).
17. to stretch (taffy or chewing gum).
18. Military. to be assigned (a specific task or duty):

    I pulled guard duty our first night in port.

19. to hold in or check (a racehorse), especially so as to prevent from winning.
20. 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)

1. to exert a drawing, tugging, or hauling force (often followed by at ).
2. to inhale through a pipe, cigarette, etc.
3. to become or come as specified, by being pulled:

   This rope will pull.

4. to row.
5. to proceed by rowing.
6. (of an advertisement)
   1. to have effectiveness, as specified:

      The ad pulled badly.

   2. to be effective:

      That spot announcement really pulled!

noun

1. the act of pulling or drawing.
2. force used in pulling; pulling power.
3. a drawing in of smoke or a liquid through the mouth: I took a pull from the scout's canteen.

   He took a long, thoughtful pull on his pipe.

   I took a pull from the scout's canteen.

4. Informal. influence, as with persons able to grant favors.
5. a part or thing to be pulled; a handle or the like:

   to replace the pulls on a chest of drawers.

6. a spell, or turn, at rowing.
7. a stroke of an oar.
8. Informal. a pulled muscle:

   He missed a week's work with a groin pull.

9. a pulling of the ball, as in baseball or golf.
10. Informal. the ability to attract; drawing power.
11. Informal. an advantage over another or others.

verb phrase

1. Informal. to perform successfully, especially something requiring courage, daring, or shrewdness:

   We'll be rich if we can pull the deal off.

2. 1. to leave; depart:

      The ship pulled out of the harbor.

   2. to abandon abruptly:

      to pull out of an agreement.

3. 1. to move or draw back or away; withdraw.
   2. to free oneself with force:

      He tried to pull away from his opponent's powerful grip.

   3. to move or start to move ahead:

      The car pulled away into traffic. The faster runners began to pull away from the others.

4. to support actively; encourage:

   They were pulling for the Republican candidate.

5. 1. to reach a place; arrive:

      The train pulled in early.

   2. to tighten; curb:

      to pull in the reins.

   3. Informal. to arrest (someone):

      The police pulled her in for questioning.

6. 1. to bring or come to a halt.
   2. to bring or draw closer.
   3. to root up; pull out:

      She pulled up all the crab grass in the lawn.

7. 1. to draw downward:

      to pull a shade down.

   2. to demolish; wreck.
   3. to lower; reduce.
   4. Informal. to receive as a salary; earn:

      It wasn't long before he was pulling down more than two hundred thousand a year.

8. to come safely through (a crisis, illness, etc.); survive:

   The patient eventually pulled through after having had a close brush with death.

9. 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

/ pʊl /

verb

1. also intr to exert force on (an object) so as to draw it towards the source of the force
2. to exert force on so as to remove; extract

   to pull a tooth

3. to strip of feathers, hair, etc; pluck
4. to draw the entrails from (a fowl)
5. to rend or tear
6. to strain (a muscle, ligament, or tendon) injuriously
7. informal.
   usually foll by off to perform or bring about

   to pull off a million-pound deal

8. informal.
   often foll by on to draw out (a weapon) for use

   he pulled a knife on his attacker

9. informal.
   to attract

   the pop group pulled a crowd

10. slang.
    also intr to attract (a sexual partner)
11. intr; usually foll by on or at to drink or inhale deeply

    to pull at one's pipe

    pull on a bottle of beer

12. to put on or make (a grimace)

    to pull a face

13. also intr; foll by away, out, over, etc to move (a vehicle) or (of a vehicle) be moved in a specified manner

    he pulled his car away from the roadside

14. printing to take (a proof) from type
15. to withdraw or remove

    the board decided to pull their support

16. 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)
17. cricket to hit (a ball pitched straight or on the off side) to the leg side
18. hurling to strike (a fast-moving ball) in the same direction as it is already moving
19. also intr to row (a boat) or take a stroke of (an oar) in rowing
20. to be rowed by

    a racing shell pulls one, two, four, or eight oars

21. (of a rider) to restrain (a horse), esp to prevent it from winning a race
22. intr (of a horse) to resist strongly the attempts of a rider to rein in or check it
23. pull a fast one slang.
    to play a sly trick
24. pull apart or pull to pieces
    to criticize harshly
25. pull your head in informal.
    be quiet!
26. pull one's punches
    1. to restrain the force of one's criticisms or actions
    2. boxing to restrain the force of one's blows, esp when deliberately losing after being bribed, etc
27. pull one's weight informal.
    to do one's fair or proper share of a task
28. pull strings informal.
    to exercise personal influence, esp secretly or unofficially
29. pull someone's leg informal.
    to make fun of, fool, or tease someone

noun

1. an act or an instance of pulling or being pulled
2. the force or effort used in pulling

   the pull of the moon affects the tides on earth

3. the act or an instance of taking in drink or smoke
4. something used for pulling, such as a knob or handle
5. informal.
   special advantage or influence

   his uncle is chairman of the company, so he has quite a lot of pull

6. informal.
   the power to attract attention or support
7. a period of rowing
8. a single stroke of an oar in rowing
9. the act of pulling the ball in golf, cricket, etc
10. the act of checking or reining in a horse
11. the amount of resistance in a bowstring, trigger, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈpuller, noun

Other Words From

• pull·a·ble adjective
• pull·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pull¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pull¹

Old English pullian; related to Icelandic pūla to beat

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pull apart, to analyze critically, especially to point out errors:

   The professor proceeded to pull the student's paper apart.

2. 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.

3. pull someone's leg. leg ( def 26 ).
4. pull the plug on. plug ( def 35 ).

More idioms and phrases containing pull

• fast one, pull a
• have pull with
• like pulling teeth

Synonym Study

See draw.

Example Sentences

"When we speak to members we hear about the tricks that are pulled in order to have people pass the relevant language test and get on to courses," she says.

From BBC

"Ketone bodies interact with damaged and misfolded proteins directly, making them insoluble so they can be pulled from the cell and recycled."

From Science Daily

And now Le Pen plans to pull the plug.

From BBC

Nearly as soon as “My So-Called Life” debuted, the press began to speculate about why it wasn’t finding an audience and how long it would take for ABC to pull the plug.

From Los Angeles Times

Having a variety of genres at the box office can pull in a wider audience.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• drag
• haul
• pick
• pluck
• remove
• rip
• stretch
• take out
• tear
• tow
• trail
• tug
• yank