Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense pulls, present participle pulling, past tense, past participle pulled
1. verb
When you pull something, you hold it firmly and use force in order to move it towards you or awayfrom its previous position.
They have pulled out patients' teeth unnecessarily. [VERB noun with adverb]
He pulled on a jersey. [VERB noun with adverb]
Erica was solemn, pulling at her blonde curls. [VERB preposition]
I helped pull him out of the water. [VERB noun preposition]
Someone pulled her hair. [VERB noun]
He knew he should pull the trigger, but he was suddenly paralysed by fear. [VERB noun]
Pull as hard as you can. [VERB]
I let myself out into the street and pulled the door shut. [VERB noun adjective]
Synonyms: draw, haul, drag, trail More Synonyms of pull
Pull is also a noun.
The feather must be removed with a straight, firm pull.
2. verb
When you pull an object from a bag, pocket, or cupboard, you put your hand in and bring the object out.
Jack pulled the slip of paper from his shirt pocket. [VERB noun preposition]
Katie reached into her shopping bag and pulled out a loaf of bread. [VERB noun with adverb]
3. verb
When a vehicle, animal, or person pulls a cart or piece of machinery, they are attached to it or hold it, so that it moves along behind them when theymove forward.
This is early-20th-century rural Sussex, when horses still pulled the plough. [VERB noun]
He pulls a rickshaw, probably the oldest form of human taxi service. [VERB noun]
4. verb
If you pull yourself or pull a part of your body in a particular direction, you move your body or a part of yourbody with effort or force.
Hughes pulled himself slowly to his feet. [VERB pronoun-reflexive preposition/adverb]
He pulled his arms out of the sleeves. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
She tried to pull her hand free. [VERB noun adjective]
Lillian brushed his cheek with her fingertips. He pulled away and said, 'Don't!' [VERB adverb]
5. verb
When a driver or vehicle pulls to a stop or a halt, the vehicle stops.
He pulled to a stop behind a pickup truck. [VERB preposition]
The train pulled to a halt at the platform. [VERB preposition]
6. verb
In a race or contest, if you pull ahead of or pull away from an opponent, you gradually increase the amount by which you are ahead of them.
He pulled away, extending his lead to 15 seconds. [VERB adverb]
The six states he won in 1988 are the same states in which he has yet to pull aheadof his opponent. [VERB adverb]
7. verb
If you pull something apart, you break or divide it into small pieces, often in order to put them back togetheragain in a different way.
If I wanted to improve the car significantly I would have to pull it apart and startagain. [VERB noun with adverb]
8. verb
If someone pulls a gun or a knife on someone else, they take out a gun or knife and threaten the other person with it.
[informal]
They had a fight. One of them pulled a gun on the other. [VERB noun + on]
I pulled a knife and threatened her. [VERB noun]
9. verb
To pull crowds, viewers, or voters means to attract them.
[informal]
The organisers have to employ performers to pull a crowd. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: attract, draw, bring in, tempt More Synonyms of pull
Pull in means the same as pull.
They provided a far better news service and pulled in many more viewers. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
The musical is popular with theatre-goers, continuing to pull the crowds in 10 yearsafter its debut. [VERB noun PARTICLE]
10. verb
If something pulls you or pulls your thoughts or feelings in a particular direction, it strongly attracts you orinfluences you in a particular way.
He felt there was little he could do to help his friend, and his heart was pullinghim elsewhere. [VERB noun adverb]
Pull is also a noun.
No matter how much you feel the pull of the past, make a determined effort to lookto the future.
11. countable noun
A pull is a strong physical force which causes things to move in a particular direction.
...the pull of gravity. [+ of]
Synonyms: force, exertion, magnetism, forcefulness More Synonyms of pull
12. verb [usually cont]
If you are pulling for someone, you support and encourage them, especially in a competition.
[informal]
We're all pulling for each other because we're desperate to win the Cup back. [VERBfor noun]
You know I've been pulling for you. [VERBfor noun]
13. verb
If you pull a muscle, you injure it by straining it.
Dave pulled a back muscle and could barely kick the ball. [VERB noun]
He suffered a pulled calf muscle. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: strain, tear, stretch, rend [literary] More Synonyms of pull
14. verb
If someone pulls on a cigarette, they take a deep breath with the cigarette in their mouth.
Jeff leaned back and pulled on his cigarette. [VERBon noun]
Pull is also a noun.
He took a deep pull and exhaled the smoke.
15. verb
To pull a stunt or a trick on someone means to do something dramatic or silly in order to get their attention or trick them.
[informal]
Everyone saw the stunt you pulled on me. [VERB noun + on]
[Also VERB noun]
16. verb
If someone pulls someone else, they succeed in attracting them sexually and in spending the rest of the evening or night with them.
[British, informal]
17.
See pull the other one (it's got bells on)
18. to pull oneself up by one's bootstraps
19. to pull a face
20. to pull a fast one
21. to pull someone's leg
22. to pull your punches
23. to pull rank
24. to pull your socks up
25. to pull out all the stops
26. to pull strings
27. to pull your weight
28. to pull the wool over someone's eyes
Phrasal verbs:
See pull away
See pull back
See pull down
See pull in
See pull into
See pull off
See pull out
See pull over
See pull through
See pull together
See pull up
See pull up on
More Synonyms of pull
pull in British English
(pʊl)
verb(mainly tr)
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. (usually foll by off) informal
to perform or bring about
to pull off a million-pound deal
8. (often foll by on) informal
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. (also intr) slang
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 aright-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. (intransitive)
(of a horse) to resist strongly the attempts of a rider to rein in or check it
23. pull a fast one
24. pull apart
25. pull your head in
26. pull one's punches
27. pull one's weight
28. pull strings
29. pull someone's leg
noun
30.
an act or an instance of pulling or being pulled
31.
the force or effort used in pulling
the pull of the moon affects the tides on earth
32.
the act or an instance of taking in drink or smoke
33.
something used for pulling, such as a knob or handle
34. informal
special advantage or influence
as the chief financial officer I have quite a lot of pull
35. informal
the power to attract attention or support
36.
a period of rowing
37.
a single stroke of an oar in rowing
38.
the act of pulling the ball in golf, cricket, etc
39.
the act of checking or reining in a horse
40.
the amount of resistance in a bowstring, trigger, etc
Derived forms
puller (ˈpuller)
noun
Word origin
Old English pullian; related to Icelandic pūla to beat
pull in American English
(pʊl)
verb transitive
1.
to exert force or influence on so as to cause to move toward or after the source of the force; drag, tug, draw, attract, etc.
2.
a.
to draw out; pluck out; extract
to pull a tooth
b.
to pick or uproot
to pull carrots
3.
to draw apart; rip; tear
to pull a seam
4. US
to stretch (taffy, etc.) back and forth repeatedly
5.
to stretch or strain to the point of injury
to pull a muscle
6. US, Informal
to put into effect; carry out; perform
to pull a raid
7. Informal
to hold back; restrain
to pull one's punches
8. Informal
a. US
to take (a gun, knife, etc.) from concealment so as to threaten
b.
to take or force off or out; remove
to pull a wheel from a car
9. Dialectal
to draw the entrails from (a fowl)
10. Baseball and Golf
to hit (the ball) and make it go to the left or, if left-handed, to the right
11. Horse Racing
to rein in or restrain (a horse) so as to keep it from winning
12. Printing
to take (a proof) on a hand press
13. Rowing
a.
to work (an oar) by drawing it toward one
b.
to propel or transport by rowing
verb intransitive
14.
to exert force in or for dragging, tugging, or attracting something
15.
to take a deep draft of a drink or puff at a cigarette, etc.
16.
to be capable of being pulled
17.
to move or drive a vehicle (away, ahead, around, out, etc.)
18. US, American Football
to run behind, and parallel to, the line of scrimmage, as to provide blocking for a ballcarrier
said of an offensive lineman
noun
19.
the act, force, or result of pulling
; specif.,
a.
a dragging, tugging, attracting, etc.
b.
the act or an instance of rowing
c.
a drink
d.
a puff at a cigarette, etc.
e.
a difficult, continuous effort, as in climbing
f.
the force needed to move a weight, trigger, etc., measured in pounds
20.
something to be pulled, as the handle of a drawer, etc.
21. US, Informal
a.
influence or special advantage
b.
drawing power; appeal
Idioms:
pull a face
pull apart
pull down
pull for
pull in
pull off
pull oneself together
pull out
pull over
pull through
pull up
SYNONYMY NOTE: pull is the broad, general term of this list, as defined in sense 1 of the vt. above; draw suggests a smoother, more even motion than , pull [he drew his sword from its scabbard]; UNRESOLVED CROSS REF implies the slow pulling of something heavy, connoting great resistance in the thingpulled [she dragged the desk across the floor]; tug suggests strenuous, often intermittent effort in pulling but does not necessarilyconnote success in moving the object [I tugged at the rope to no avail]; haul implies sustained effort in transporting something heavy, often mechanically [to haul furniture in a truck]; tow1 implies pulling by means of a rope or cable [to tow a stalled automobile]
OPPOSITES: push, shove
Derived forms
puller (ˈpuller)
noun see make a face
Word origin
ME pullen < OE pullian, to pluck, snatch with the fingers: ? akin to MLowG pull, a husk, shell
More idioms containing
pull
pull your hair out
pull someone's leg
pull your finger out
pull a fast one
pull a face
pull yourself up by your bootstraps
pull something out of the air
pull in your horns
pull the plug on something
pull the other one
not pull your punches
pull a rabbit out of the hat
pull rank
pull the rug from under someone's feet
pull your socks up
pull out all the stops
pull strings
pull the strings
pull your weight
pull the wool over someone's eyes
Examples of 'pull' in a sentence
pull
We are all pulling in one direction.
The Sun (2017)
Admiral was forced to pull its new system after the web giant intervened.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She was saved when another prisoner walking past pulled him away.
The Sun (2016)
How do you pull back from this?
The Sun (2016)
You need to pull together rather than let this drive you apart.
The Sun (2016)
He would have pulled him out long before the tenth and the American would not have ended up confined to a wheelchair.
The Sun (2016)
He will pull out something special today because this is a huge game and there is so much on the line here for the Wallabies.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Despite the big field, there wasn't much pace on that day and he pulled hard for quite a long way.
The Sun (2016)
Why do we so often feel pulled in different directions?
Christianity Today (2000)
You will notice just how strong the pull of the familiar is.
Pete Cohen and Sten Cummins with Jennai Cox HABIT BUSTING: A 10-step plan that will change your life (2002)
Or stand under a bucket and pull a handle.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Both are adept at pulling off wild moves.
The Sun (2015)
The sentences struggled to escape the pull of gravity.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There is nervousness at the speed with which the document has been pulled together.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Arch your back slightly and pull in your tummy.
Hambly, Dr Kenneth Banish Anxiety - how to stop worrying and take charge of your life (1991)
Vehicles were pulled back to remote locations for safety reasons despite the flurry of emergency calls.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
How on earth will you pull it off?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The collective cause was no longer exerting such a strong pull.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Its metal handle pulls away from the melted sides.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We arrived as the ferry was pulling away.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The controls and the gravity that pulls you down toward the sea bring an immersiveexperience.
The Sun (2014)
It was as if some irresistible natural force was pulling us together.
Jan Fennell FRIENDS FOR LIFE (2003)
Both her horses pulled up with injuries well before there.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It is as if some irresistible force had pulled an enormous bung or plug out of the earth.
Richard Fortey THE EARTH: An Intimate History (2004)
As long as you pull off the moves on screen you are free to improvise the rest of the time.
The Sun (2010)
To be pulled back was harsh.
The Sun (2016)
In other languages
pull
British English: pull /pʊl/ VERB
When you pull something, you hold it and move it towards you.
I helped pull him out of the water.
Pull as hard as you can.
American English: pull
Arabic: يَجْذِب
Brazilian Portuguese: puxar
Chinese: 拉
Croatian: izvući
Czech: táhnout
Danish: trække
Dutch: trekken naar zich toe, verwijderen
European Spanish: tirar jalar
Finnish: vetää
French: tirer amener vers soi
German: ziehen
Greek: τραβώ
Italian: tirare
Japanese: 引く
Korean: ...을 잡아당기다
Norwegian: trekke
Polish: pociągnąć
European Portuguese: puxar
Romanian: a trage
Russian: тянуть
Latin American Spanish: tirar estirar o extender
Swedish: dra
Thai: ดึง
Turkish: çekmek
Ukrainian: тягти
Vietnamese: kéo
All related terms of 'pull'
pull in
When a vehicle or driver pulls in somewhere , the vehicle stops there.
pull on
to don ( clothing )
pull up
When a vehicle or driver pulls up , the vehicle slows down and stops.
bell pull
a handle , rope, or cord that is pulled to ring a doorbell or servant's bell
leg-pull
a practical joke or mild deception
pull away
When a vehicle or driver pulls away , the vehicle starts moving forward .
pull back
If someone pulls back from an action, they decide not to do it or continue with it, because it could have bad consequences .
pull cord
a cord attached to a blind , light switch , appliance , curtain etc which is pulled to operate it
pull down
To pull down a building or statue means to deliberately destroy it.
pull for
to cheer on, or hope for success of
pull hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
pull into
When a vehicle or driver pulls into a place, the vehicle moves into the place and stops there.
pull off
If you pull off something very difficult, you succeed in achieving it.
pull out
When a vehicle or driver pulls out , the vehicle moves out into the road or nearer the centre of the road.
pull over
When a vehicle or driver pulls over , the vehicle moves closer to the side of the road and stops there.
pull rank
to make unfair use of your power or position to make people do what you want
pull-ring
a metal strip that must be pulled off the top of a can of drink or food in order to open it
pull-tab
a metal strip that must be pulled off the top of a can of drink or food in order to open it
push-pull
using two similar electronic devices, such as matched valves , made to operate 180° out of phase with each other. The outputs are combined to produce a signal that replicates the input waveform
ring-pull
A ring-pull is a metal strip that you pull off the top of a can of drink in order to open it.
demand-pull
designating or having to do with a form of inflation in which prices are driven up by an excess demand for goods and services, relative to their supply
pull about
to handle roughly
pull apart
to criticize harshly
pull wires
to exert influence behind the scenes , esp through personal connections ; pull strings
taffy pull
a party at which taffy is made
pull strings
to get something you want , not by your own merit but by using your friendships with powerful and influential people. This expression is usually used in a disapproving way.
pull through
If someone with a serious illness or someone in a very difficult situation pulls through , they recover.
pull together
If people pull together , they help each other or work together in order to deal with a difficult situation .
pull up on
If someone pulls you up on something, they criticize you for something wrong that you have done.
pull a face
to show a feeling such as dislike or disgust by twisting your face into an ugly expression, or by sticking out your tongue
pull a stunt
If someone pulls a stunt , they do something silly or risky .
to pull rank
If you say that someone in authority pulls rank , you mean that they unfairly force other people to do what they want because of their higher rank or position.
gravitational pull
attraction caused by gravitation
pull a fastie
to play a sly trick
pull-down menu
a list of commands that appears on a computer screen in response to clicking on a word or group of words
pull the plug
If someone in a position of power pulls the plug on a project or on someone's activities , they use their power to stop them continuing .
pull up stakes
to leave one's home or temporary resting place and move on
pull a fast one
to succeed in tricking someone in order to get an advantage
pull a long face
to look sad , glum , disapproving , etc.
pull one's punches
to restrain the force of one's criticisms or actions
pull one's weight
to do one's fair or proper share of a task
pull someone's leg
to tease someone about something, for example by telling them something which is not true
pull the plug on
to put a stop to
pull the strings
to control everything that another person or an organization does
pull your weight
to work as hard as everyone else who is involved in the same task or activity
push-pull circuit
a circuit using two similar electronic devices, such as matched valves , made to operate 180° out of phase with each other
to pull strings
If you pull strings , you use your influence with other people in order to get something done , often unfairly.
demand-pull inflation
the act of inflating or state of being inflated
pull in your horns
to start behaving more cautiously than you did before, especially by spending less money
pull the other one
said to mean that you do not believe something someone tells you
Chinese translation of 'pull'
pull
(pul)
vt
[rope, hair]拖 (tuō)
[handle, door, cart, carriage]拉 (lā)
(= draw)[curtain, blind]拉 (lā)
(= squeeze)[trigger]扣(釦) (kòu)
(inf, = attract)[people]吸引 (xīyǐn)
[sexual partner]勾引 (gōuyǐn)
[pint of beer]灌 (guàn)
vi
猛拉 (měnglā)
n
(c) (= tug)
to give sth a pull拉一下某物 (lā yīxià mǒuwù) (下, xià)
(s)[of moon, magnet, current]牵(牽)引力 (qiānyǐnlì)
(s) (fig)[of homeland, past]吸引力 (xīyǐnlì)
to pull sth free/out of sth[arm, hand, foot]将(將)某物从(從)某物中抽出来(來) (jiāng mǒuwù cóng mǒuwù zhōng chōu chūlái)
⇒ She pulled her feet out of the wet boots.她把脚从湿靴子中抽了出来。 (Tā bǎ jiǎo cóng shī xuēzi zhōng chōule chūlái.)
to pull a muscle扭伤(傷)肌肉 (niǔshāng jīròu)
to pull a face夸(誇)张(張)地做表情 (kuāzhāng de zuò biǎoqíng)
to pull sth to pieces (= criticize) 将(將)某事批得体(體)无(無)完肤(膚) (jiāng mǒushì pī de tǐ wú wán fū)
to pull o.s. together振作起来(來) (zhènzuò qǐlái)
to pull sb's leg (fig) 开(開)某人的玩笑 (kāi mǒurén de wánxiào)
to pull strings (for sb)(为(為)某人)暗中操作 ((wèi mǒurén) ànzhōng cāozuò)
All related terms of 'pull'
pull in
( at the kerb ) 停了下来(來) tíngle xiàlái
pull up
( stop : driver, vehicle ) 停下 tíngxià
pull off
( take off : clothes ) 脱(脫)下 tuōxià
pull out
( Aut : from kerb ) 开(開)出 kāichū ( when overtaking ) 超车(車) chāochē