Pronunciations (5)
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/pʊl/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
- Received-Pronunciation
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/pəl/
Pronunciation notes
- Central
- England
- Received-Pronunciation
- Southern-England
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/pʉl/
Pronunciation notes
- Northern-Ireland
- Scotland
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/puːl/
-
pʊl
Verb
To apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force.
Usage- Intransitive
- Transitive
- Examples
-
When I give the signal, pull the rope.
Pull your belt tight before starting off, will you?
More examples (3)
He put forth his hand […] and pulled her in.
Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows.
All the gravitational mass of the earth pulls toward a single point at the planet's center, overwhelming the miniscule pull of other objects.
To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward oneself; to pluck or pick (flowers, fruit, etc.).
- Examples
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to pull fruit from a tree
pull flax
More examples (2)
pull a finch
He and some of his companions one day entered a garden in the suburbs, and having indulged their appetites, desired to know what satisfaction they must make for the fruit they had pulled.
To attract or net; to pull in.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Television, a favored source of news and information, pulls the largest share of advertising monies.
More examples (1)
While the pimp can always pull a ho with his magnetism, he can never pull a nun. The nun is too in touch with her own compassionate and honest spirit to react to a spirit as negative and deceitful as that of the pimp.
To persuade (someone) to have sex with one.
Usage- Ireland
- UK usage
- Transitive or intransitive
- Slang
- Examples
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I pulled at the club last night.
He's pulled that bird over there.
More examples (1)
Grab your coat, love, you've pulled.
To interest (someone) in dating or pursuing one (whether or not this has led to sex).
Usage- US usage
- Transitive or intransitive
- Slang
- Examples
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Wow, Joyce pulls, actually.
To remove or withdraw (something), especially from public circulation or availability.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Each day, they pulled the old bread and set out fresh loaves.
The book was due to be released today, but it was pulled at the last minute over legal concerns.
To retrieve or look up for use.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I'll have to pull a part number for that.
This computer file is incorrect. Can we pull the old version from your backups?
More examples (1)
They'll go through their computer system and pull a report of all your order fulfillment records for the time period you specify.
To obtain (a permit) from a regulatory authority.
- Examples
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It's the contractor's responsibility to pull the necessary permits before starting work.
To do or perform, especially something seen as negative by the speaker.
Usage- Informal
- Transitive
- Examples
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He regularly pulls 12-hour days, sometimes 14.
You'll be sent home if you pull another stunt like that.
More examples (3)
What are you trying to pull?
What are you trying to pull, anyway? You say you want to sell, but you have nothing to offer?! You've got some nerve, kid!
Faced with an enemy whose largest gun turrets weigh more than the entire ship, Johnston decides that running is boring, and instead pulls a full 180-degree turn and charges straight back at the attacking forces.
To copy or emulate the actions or behaviour associated with the person or thing mentioned (with a and the name of a person, place, event, etc.).
- Examples
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He pulled an Elvis and got really fat.
They're trying to pull a Watergate on us.
To toss a frisbee with the intention of launching the disc across the length of a field.
To row.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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It had been a sort of race hitherto, and the rowers, with set teeth and compressed lips, had pulled stroke for stroke.
To transport by rowing.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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As the man at the oars pulled him across, the scientist said to him, "Do you know astronomy?"
To achieve by rowing on a rowing machine.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I pulled a personal best on the erg yesterday.
To draw apart; to tear; to rend.
- Examples
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He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
More examples (1)
If you are going to pull or chop the pork butt, take it out of the smoker when the meat is in the higher temperature range, put it in a large pan, and let it rest, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Using heavy-duty dinner forks, pull the pork butt to shreds.
To strain (a muscle, tendon, ligament, etc.).
Usage- Transitive
To draw (a hostile non-player character) into combat, or toward or away from some location or target.
Usage- Transitive or intransitive
- Examples
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…we had to clear a long hallway, run up half way, pull the boss mob to us, and engage.
Basically buff pet, have it pull lots of mobs, shield pet, chain heal pet, have your aoe casters finish off hurt mobs once pet gets good aggro.
More examples (3)
This is the only thing that should get you to break off from your position, is to pull something off the healer.
You could also set a fire trap, pull the mob toward it, then send in your pet….
Shield yourself, pull with Mind Blast if you want, or merely pull with SW:P to save mana, then wand, fear if you need to, but use the lowest rank fear.
To score a certain number of points in a sport.
Usage- UK usage
- Examples
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How many points did you pull today, Albert?
To hold back, and so prevent from winning.
- Examples
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The favourite was pulled.
To take or make (a proof or impression); so called because hand presses were worked by pulling a lever.
Usage- Dated
To strike the ball in a particular manner. (See noun sense.)
- Examples
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Never pull a straight fast ball to leg.
To draw beer from a pump, keg, or other source.
Usage- UK usage
- Examples
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Let's stop at Finnigan's. The barman pulls a good pint.
To take a swig or mouthful of drink.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Danny pulled at his beer and thought for a moment.
Of a railroad car, to pull out from a yard or station; to leave.
Usage- US usage
(Followed by a preposition or adverb) To drive (a vehicle) in a particular direction or to a particular place.
Usage- Intransitive
- Transitive
- Examples
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Pull around to the window please.
He pulled the car forward until he was out of the way.
To pull over (a driver or vehicle); to detain for a traffic stop.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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The state trooper pulled me for going 60 in a 55 zone.
To repeatedly stretch taffy in order to achieve the desired stretchy texture.
Usage- Intransitive
- Transitive
To retrieve source code or other material from a source control repository.
In practice fighting, to reduce the strength of a blow (etymology 3) so as to avoid injuring one's practice partner.
To impede the progress of (a horse) to prevent its winning a race.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (1)
'I never liked Bowler, and I had my suspicions when Captain Ferndale persuaded you to put him up in that race. I did not discover until some time after that he pulled the horse.'
Interjection
Command used by a target shooter to request that the target be released/launched.
Noun
An act of pulling (applying force toward oneself).
Usage- Countable
- Examples
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He gave the hair a sharp pull and it came out.
She took several pulls on her cigarette.
More examples (1)
I found myself suddenly awaked with a violent pull upon the ring, which was fastened at the top of my box.
An attractive force which causes motion towards the source.
Usage- Uncountable
- Examples
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The spaceship came under the pull of the gas giant.
iron fillings drawn by the pull of a magnet
An advantage over somebody; a means of influencing.
Usage- Figurative
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The hypnotist exerted a pull over his patients.
Tresham's up to his eyes in dock business and town business, a regular jobmonger, he has no use for anybody who hasn't a pull.
The power to influence someone or something; sway, clout.
Usage- Figurative
- Informal
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I don't have a lot of pull within the company.
She wants to work in the villages, and she has a lot of pull with some ministers and there she is, like a political supervisor.
More examples (2)
I have already put Matthew Williams off for a few days. He wants to see her too, but he doesn't have pull with the director.
If Netflix truly cared about those of us sequestered to our homes, with our shelves of beans and bad-news-addled brains, it would release either a new season of Queer Eye or another season of the similarly soothing Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat to help us bide our time. Alas, I have no pull at Netflix, and neither seems to be coming soon.
Any device meant to be pulled, as a lever, knob, handle, or rope.
Usage- Countable
- Examples
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a zipper pull
A randomized selection from a given set.
Usage- Countable
- Figurative
- Examples
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card pull
A randomized selection from a given set. A high-quality or funny recommendation by the algorithm.
Usage- Internet
- Countable
- Figurative
- Uncountable
- Examples
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mythical FYP pull
A randomized selection from a given set. A player's use of a game's gacha mechanic to obtain a random reward.
Usage- Countable
- Figurative
- Uncountable
Something in one's favour in a comparison or a contest; advantage.
Usage- Countable
- Dated
- Figurative
- Slang
- Uncountable
- Examples
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In weights the favourite had the pull.
Appeal or attraction.
Usage- Figurative
- Uncountable
- Examples
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the pull of a movie star
The act or process of sending out a request for data from a server by a client.
Usage- Internet
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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server pull
pull technology
A journey made by rowing.
Usage- Countable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
1874, Marcus Clarke, For the Term of His Natural Life Chapter V As Blunt had said, the burning ship lay a good twelve miles from the Malabar, and the pull was a long and a weary one. Once fairly away from the protecting sides of the vessel that had borne them thus far on their dismal journey, the adventurers seemed to have come into a new atmosphere.
A contest; a struggle.
Usage- Countable
- Dated
- Uncountable
- Examples
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a wrestling pull
this wrastling pull betweene Corineus and Gogmagog, is reported to have befallen at Douer.
An injury resulting from a forceful pull on a limb, etc.; strain; sprain.
Usage- Countable
- Examples
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They used steroids to build strength but, more importantly, to recover from strains, pulls, dislocations.
Loss, misfortune, or violence suffered.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Poetic
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Two pulls at once; / His lady banished, and a limb lopped off.
A drink, especially of an alcoholic beverage; a mouthful or swig of a drink.
Usage- Colloquial
- Countable
- Examples
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Heah, Sam Johnsing, jis' take a pull at dis bottle, an' it will make yo' feel better.
More examples (1)
However, both gentlemen were clearly of one mind over the quality of the wine, for they each took a prolonged pull, smacked their lips, and looked hard at each other, as though in silent communion over the excellence of the vintage.
Sutho took a pull at his Johnny Walker and Coke and laughed that trademark laugh of his and said: `Okay. I'll pay that all right.'
A type of stroke by which a leg ball is sent to the off side, or an off ball to the on side; a pull shot.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The pull is not a legitimate stroke, but bad cricket.
A mishit shot which travels in a straight line and (for a right-handed player) left of the intended path.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A single impression from a handpress.
Usage- Countable
- Historical
- Uncountable
- Examples
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"Tell George to come down and bring pulls of his latest plates," confirmed Joolby.
A proof sheet.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Noun
the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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the pull up the hill had him breathing harder
his strenuous pulling strained his back
the force used in pulling
- Broader terms
- Examples
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the pull of the moon
the pull of the current
special advantage or influence
- Synonyms
- Examples
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the chairman's nephew has a lot of pull
a device used for pulling something
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he grabbed the pull and opened the drawer
a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments
- Examples
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the wrench to his knee occurred as he fell
he was sidelined with a hamstring pull
a slow inhalation (as of tobacco smoke)
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he took a puff on his pipe
he took a drag on his cigarette and expelled the smoke slowly
a sustained effort
- Broader terms
- Examples
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it was a long pull but we made it
Verb
cause to move by pulling
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Examples
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draw a wagon
pull a sled
direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Her good looks attract the stares of many men
The ad pulled in many potential customers
More examples (2)
This pianist pulls huge crowds
The store owner was happy that the ad drew in many new customers
move into a certain direction
- Broader terms
- Examples
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the car pulls to the right
apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Pull the rope
Pull the handle towards you
More examples (3)
pull the string gently
pull the trigger of the gun
pull your knees towards your chin
perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
- Synonyms
- Examples
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perpetrate a crime
pull a bank robbery
bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover
- Examples
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draw a weapon
pull out a gun
More examples (1)
The mugger pulled a knife on his victim
steer into a certain direction
- Broader terms
- Examples
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pull one's horse to a stand
Pull the car over
strain abnormally
- Synonyms
- Examples
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I pulled a muscle in my leg when I jumped up
The athlete pulled a tendon in the competition
cause to move in a certain direction by exerting a force upon, either physically or in an abstract sense
- Synonyms
- Examples
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A declining dollar pulled down the export figures for the last quarter
operate when rowing a boat
- Broader terms
- Examples
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pull the oars
rein in to keep from winning a race
- Examples
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pull a horse
tear or be torn violently
- Examples
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The curtain ripped from top to bottom
pull the cooked chicken into strips
hit in the direction that the player is facing when carrying through the swing
- Broader terms
- Examples
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pull the ball
strip of feathers
- Broader terms
- Examples
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pull a chicken
pluck the capon
remove, usually with some force or effort; also used in an abstract sense
- Examples
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pull weeds
extract a bad tooth
More examples (2)
take out a splinter
extract information from the telegram
take sides with; align oneself with; show strong sympathy for
- Broader terms
- Examples
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We all rooted for the home team
I'm pulling for the underdog
More examples (1)
Are you siding with the defender of the title?
remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
- Examples
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remove a threat
remove a wrapper
More examples (5)
Remove the dirty dishes from the table
take the gun from your pocket
This machine withdraws heat from the environment
Take that weight off me!
pull the old soup cans from the supermarket shelf