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| pull [ pl ] |
verb (past and past participle pulled, present participle pull·ing, 3rd person present singular pulls) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb draw somebody or something nearer: to apply force to somebody or something so as to draw or tend to draw that person or thing toward the origin of the force
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2. transitive verb remove something forcibly: to remove or extract something by exerting force
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3. transitive verb draw load: to draw a load such as a trailer or plow
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4. transitive and intransitive verb tug at somebody or something: to tug at or jerk somebody or something
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5. transitive verb medicine strain muscle: to strain and damage a muscle, ligament, or tendon
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6. transitive verb press something to operate it: to apply force to a trigger, lever, or switch so as to operate a weapon or machine
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7. transitive verb open or close curtains: to open or close curtains or window coverings
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8. transitive and intransitive verb tear something: to tear or rip something apart or into pieces
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9. transitive verb stretch something: to stretch something elastic
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10. transitive verb take out weapon: to take out a weapon in readiness to attack somebody
(
informal
)
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11. transitive verb attract people: to draw a large number of people, e.g. as audience members or voters
(
informal
)
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12. transitive verb do something underhandedly: to do something undesirable or despicable in an underhand way
(
informal
)
  How could you pull such a sneaky trick?
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13. transitive and intransitive verb automotive maneuver vehicle: to maneuver a vehicle in a particular direction
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14. intransitive verb automotive drift to one side because faulty: to drift to one side or the other, usually because of a fault
(
refers to motor vehicles or their steering
)
My car pulls to the left.
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15. intransitive verb inhale deeply: to inhale deeply when smoking, or take a deep gulp at a drink
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16. transitive verb commerce publishing remove something from circulation: to remove something from circulation, or prevent it from ever getting into circulation
(
informal
)
The manufacturer pulled the product after safety questions were raised.
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17. transitive verb printing make proof for correction: to make a printing proof
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18. transitive verb horseracing rein horse back: to rein in a horse, especially so as to prevent it from winning a race
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19. transitive verb baseball hit ball where player faces: to hit a baseball toward the direction the batter is facing after completing a swing
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20. transitive verb hit ball too far to side: to hit a ball farther left for a right-handed player or farther right for a left-handed player than intended
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noun (plural pulls) |
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| Definition: |
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1. act of pulling: the act of pulling somebody or something, or an instance of being pulled
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2. pulling force: the physical force involved in the action of pulling
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3. sustained effort: a sustained effort, especially under difficult circumstances
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4. something used for pulling: something used for pulling, e.g. a knob, handle, or tab
(
often used in combination
)
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5. deep inhalation or gulp: the inhaling or drinking of something deeply
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6. influence: special influence, usually because of personal position within an organization or society, or personal connection with somebody
(
informal
)
used his pull to get tickets for the final
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7. power to attract: the ability or power to attract an audience or supporters
(
informal
)
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8. printing proof copy for correction: a printing proof made for correction
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9. horseracing restraint of horse: the restraining of a horse by its rider, especially to keep it from winning
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10. pulling of ball: the pulling of a ball, or a ball that is pulled
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11. arms resistance in firing mechanism: the amount of resistance in a firing mechanism such as a trigger or bowstring
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| [ Old English pullian, originally "pluck," probably < W Germanic] |
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| pull·er noun |
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| Word Key: Synonyms |
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pull, drag, draw, haul, tow, tug, yank
CORE MEANING: to move something toward you or in the same direction as you
pull to apply force to somebody or something so as to draw or tend to draw that person or thing toward the origin of the force;
They pulled their sled twenty-four kilometers without skis.
If you pull the cord, your light'll come on.
drag to move something, especially something that is too large, heavy, or cumbersome to carry, by pulling it along the ground or across a surface;
dragging the dog over to the car
a scraping sound as of something being dragged along the ground
draw to pull something, or lead or pull somebody, in a particular direction, especially toward or away from something;
We reached out and drew her into the circle.
He drew a silk handkerchief from his pocket.
haul to pull something with continuous and laborious movements;
He hauled the box up the stairs.
tow to pull something such as a barge or a broken-down car along by a rope or chain attached to it;
The two boats were towed into port.
We had to tow the damaged car back to the repair shop.
tug to pull at or drag somebody or something with a sharp forceful movement;
Frantically, I tried to tug my finger free.
The child approached and tugged at his arm, whining, "I want to go home, Daddy."
yank to pull somebody or something suddenly and sharply;
He yanked the cable from the socket.
When the elevator stopped, she yanked the gate back and stepped out. |
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