- pull
- pull1 W1S1 [pul] v▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(move something towards you)¦2¦(remove)¦3¦(make something follow you)¦4¦(take something out)¦5¦(clothing)¦6¦(move your body)¦7¦(muscle)¦8 pull strings9 pull the/somebody's strings10¦(trick/crime)¦11 pull somebody's leg12 pull the other one (it's got bells on)13¦(switch)¦14 pull the curtains/blinds15¦(crowd/votes etc)¦16¦(attract/influence)¦17¦(sexually attract)¦18¦(stop event)¦19 pull somebody's licence20¦(stop a vehicle)¦21¦(car)¦22 something is like pulling teeth23¦(beer)¦24 pull a punch25¦(cricket/golf/baseball)¦26¦(row a boat)¦Phrasal verbspull aheadpull apartpull at/on somethingpull awaypull backpull downpull for somebody/somethingpull inpull offpull on somethingpull outpull overpull (somebody) throughpull togetherpull up▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[: Old English; Origin: pullian]1.) ¦(MOVE SOMETHING TOWARDS YOU)¦ [I and T]to use your hands to make something or someone move towards you or in the direction that your hands are moving≠ ↑push▪ Mom! Davey's pulling my hair!pull sb/sth into/away from/over etc sth▪ He pulled her down into her seat.pull sth open/shut▪ She pulled open the door and hurried inside.2.) ¦(REMOVE)¦ [T]to use force to take something from the place where it is fixed or held▪ She has to have two teeth pulled.pull sth out/off/away etc▪ Vicky had pulled the arm off her doll.3.) ¦(MAKE SOMETHING FOLLOW YOU)¦ [T]to be attached to something or hold something and make it move behind you in the direction you are going▪ a tractor pulling a trailer4.) ¦(TAKE SOMETHING OUT)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]to take something out of a bag, pocket etc with your hand▪ He pulled out his wallet and said 'let me pay'.▪ Ben pulled a pen from his pocket.pull a gun/knife (on sb)(=take one out, ready to use it)5.) ¦(CLOTHING)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]to put on or take off a piece of clothing, usually quicklypull on/off/up/down etc▪ He pulled off his damp shirt.6.) ¦(MOVE YOUR BODY)¦a) [I,T always + adverb/preposition]to move your body or part of your body away from someone or somethingpull sth away/free▪ She tried to pull her hand free, but it was held fast.pull sth out of/from sth▪ She struggled fiercely, trying to pull her arm out of his grasp.pull away/back▪ She pulled away from him.b) pull yourself up/to your feet etcto hold onto something and use your strength to move your body towards it▪ Benny pulled himself up from the floor with difficulty.7.) ¦(MUSCLE)¦ [T]to injure one of your muscles by stretching it too much during physical activity= ↑strain▪ Paul pulled a muscle trying to lift the freezer.8.) pull stringsto secretly use your influence with important people in order to get what you want or to help someone else▪ Francis pulled strings to get him out of trouble.9.) pull the/sb's stringsto control something or someone, especially when you are not the person who is supposed to be controlling them▪ It was widely believed that Montagu was secretly pulling the strings behind the prime minister.10.)¦(TRICK/CRIME)¦ [T] informalto succeed in doing something illegal or dishonest or in playing a trick on someone▪ The gang have pulled another bank robbery.▪ He was trying to pull a fast one (=deceive you) when he told you he'd paid.pull a stunt/trick/joke▪ Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again!11.) pull sb's legto tell someone something that is not true, as a joke▪ I haven't won, have I? You're pulling my leg.12.) pull the other one (it's got bells on)BrE spoken used to tell someone that you think they are joking or not telling the truth▪ Your dad's a racing driver? Pull the other one!13.) ¦(SWITCH)¦ [T]to move a control such as a switch, ↑lever, or ↑trigger towards you to make a piece of equipment work▪ She raised the gun, and pulled the trigger.14.) pull the curtains/blindsto open or close curtains or ↑blinds▪ It was already getting dark so he pulled the curtains.15.) ¦(CROWD/VOTES ETC)¦ [T]if an event, performer etc pulls crowds or a politician pulls a lot of votes, a lot of people come to see them or vote for them▪ Muhammad Ali can still pull the crowds.16.) ¦(ATTRACT/INFLUENCE)¦ [T]to attract or influence someone or their thoughts or feelings▪ The city's reputation for a clean environment has pulled new residents from other states.17.) ¦(SEXUALLY ATTRACT)¦ [I and T]BrE spoken to attract someone in order to have sex with them or spend the evening with them▪ He knew he could pull any girl he wanted.18.) ¦(STOP EVENT)¦ [T]to stop a planned event from taking place▪ They pulled the concert.19.) pull sb's licence informalto take away someone's ↑licence to do something, especially to drive a car, because they have done something wrong20.)¦(STOP A VEHICLE)¦ [I and T]to drive a vehicle somewhere and stop; to stop somewherepull sth into/towards/down etc sth▪ She pulled the car into a side street.▪ The bus pulled to a halt .21.) ¦(CAR)¦if a car pulls to the left or right as you are driving, it moves in that direction because of a problem with its machinery22.) sth is like pulling teethused to say that it is very difficult or unpleasant to persuade someone to do something▪ Getting him to do his homework is like pulling teeth.23.) ¦(BEER)¦ [T][i]BrE to get beer out of a ↑barrel by pulling a handle▪ The barman laughed and began to pull a couple of pints.24.) pull a punchto deliberately hit someone with less force than you could do, so that it hurts less25.) ¦(CRICKET/GOLF/BASEBALL)¦ [I and T]to hit the ball in ↑cricket, golf, or baseball so that it does not go straight but moves to one side26.) ¦(ROW A BOAT)¦ [I and T]to make a boat move by using ↑oars→pull/make a face at ↑face1 (2), pull your finger out at ↑finger1 (12), pull rank (on sb) at ↑rank1 (5), pull the rug (out) from under sb's feet at ↑rug, pull the plug (on sth) at ↑plug1 (5)pull ahead phr vif one vehicle pulls ahead of another, it gets in front of it by moving faster▪ Schumacher pulled ahead of Montoya as the two drivers approached the first corner of the race.pull apart phr v1.) pull sth<=>apartto separate something into pieces▪ Pull the meat apart with two forks.2.) pull sb<=>apartto make the relationships between people in a group bad or difficult▪ His drinking pulled the family apart.3.) pull sth<=>apartto carefully examine or criticize something▪ The selection committee pulled each proposal apart.4.) pull sb/sth<=>apartto separate people or animals when they are fighting▪ The fight ended only when the referee pulled the two players apart.5.) if something pulls apart, it breaks into pieces when you pull on itpull at/on [pull at/on sth] phr v1.) to take hold of something and pull it several times▪ Mary was pulling nervously at her hair.2.) to take smoke from a pipe or cigarette into your lungs▪ He pulled hard on the cigarette.3.) to take a long drink from a bottle or glasspull away phr v1.) to start to drive away from a place where you had stopped▪ He waved as he pulled away.2.) to move ahead of a competitor by going faster or being more successfulpull away from▪ Nkoku is pulling away from the other runners.pull back phr v1.) to decide not to do or become involved in somethingpull back from▪ In the end, he pulled back from financing the film.2.) to get out of a bad situation or dangerous place, or to make someone else do thispull back from▪ Many banks are pulling back from international markets.pull sb<=>back▪ They are preparing to pull back their forces.3.) pull sth<=>backBrE if a team that is losing pulls back a ↑goal or some points, it succeeds in scoring a goal or some points▪ Our play improved and we pulled back two goals.pull down phr v1.) pull sth<=>downto destroy something or make it stop existing▪ My old school was pulled down.2.) pull down sthto earn a particular amount of money▪ Real estate stocks pulled down total returns of 35.7 percent.3.) pull sb downto make someone less successful, happy, or healthy▪ Her problems have really pulled her down.4.) pull down a menuto make a computer program show you a list of the things it can dopull for / [pull for sb/sth] phr vinformal to encourage a person or team to succeed▪ The crowd were pulling for me to do well.pull in phr v1.) if a driver pulls in, they move to the side of the road and stop▪ She pulled in to let the ambulance pass.2.) if a train pulls in, it arrives at a station≠ ↑pull out3.) pull sb/sth<=>into attract business, money, people etc▪ a publicity stunt to pull in the crowds4.) pull in sth informalif you pull in a lot of money, you earn it5.) pull sb<=>inif a police officer pulls someone in, they take them to a police station because they think that person may have done something wrongpull off phr v1.) pull sth<=>off informalto succeed in doing something difficult▪ The goalkeeper pulled off six terrific saves.2.) pull off (sth)to drive a car off a road in order to stop, or to turn into a smaller road▪ We pulled off the road to get some food.pull on [pull on sth] phr vto pull at somethingpull out phr v1.)a) to drive onto a road from another road or from where you have stopped▪ Don't pull out! There's something coming.b) to drive over to a different part of the road in order to get past a vehicle in front of you▪ I pulled out to overtake a bus.2.) if a train pulls out, it leaves a station≠ ↑pull in3.) to stop doing or being involved in something, or to make someone do this▪ McDermott pulled out with an injury at the last minute.pull out of▪ They are trying to pull out of the agreement.pull sb out of sth▪ He threatened to pull his son out of the team.4.) to get out of a bad situation or dangerous place, or to make someone or something do this▪ Jim saw that the firm was going to be ruined, so he pulled out.pull sb/sth<=>out▪ Most of the troops have been pulled out.pull out of▪ when the country was still pulling out of a recessionpull over phr vto drive to the side of the road and stop your car, or to make someone else do this▪ The policeman signalled to him to pull over.pull sb/sth<=>over▪ He pulled the car over.▪ A cop pulled him over and gave him a speeding ticket.pull () through [pull (sb) through] phr v1.) to stay alive after you have been very ill or badly injured, or to help someone do this▪ His injuries are severe but he's expected to pull through.2.) to succeed in doing something very difficult, or to help someone to do this▪ He relied on his experience to pull him through.pull together phr v1.) if a group of people pull together, they all work hard to achieve something▪ If we all pull together, we'll finish on time.2.) pull yourself togetherto force yourself to stop behaving in a nervous, frightened, or uncontrolled way▪ With an effort Mary pulled herself together.3.) pull sth togetherto improve something by organizing it more effectively▪ We need an experienced manager to pull the department together.pull up phr v1.) to stop the vehicle that you are driving▪ He pulled up in front of the gates.2.) pull up a chair/stool etcto get a chair, etc and sit down next to someone who is already sitting3.) pull sb upespecially BrE to stop someone who is doing something wrong and tell them you do not approvepull somebody up on▪ I felt I had to pull her up on her lateness.pull 2pull2 n▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(act of moving something)¦2¦(force)¦3¦(attraction)¦4¦(influence)¦5¦(climb)¦6¦(muscle)¦7¦(smoke/drink)¦8¦(handle)¦9¦(cricket/golf/baseball)¦▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1.) ¦(ACT OF MOVING SOMETHING)¦an act of using force to move something towards you or in the same direction that you are moving≠ ↑push▪ He gave her a sharp pull forward.2.) ¦(FORCE)¦ [C usually singular]a strong physical force that makes things move in a particular direction▪ the gravitational pull of the moon3.) ¦(ATTRACTION)¦ [C usually singular]the ability to attract someone or have a powerful effect on thempull of▪ After about a year I gave in to the pull of fatherhood.4.) ¦(INFLUENCE)¦ [singular,U] informalspecial influence or power over other people▪ His family's name gives him a lot of pull in this town.5.) ¦(CLIMB)¦ [singular]BrE a difficult climb up a steep road▪ It was a long pull up the hill.6.) ¦(MUSCLE)¦ [C usually singular]an injury to one of your muscles, caused by stretching it too much during exercise▪ a groin pull7.) ¦(SMOKE/DRINK)¦an act of taking the smoke from a cigarette, pipe etc into your ↑lungs or of taking a long drink of somethingpull on/at▪ She took a long pull on her cigarette.8.) ¦(HANDLE)¦a rope or handle that you use to pull something▪ He popped the ring pull on another can of lager.9.) ¦(CRICKET/GOLF/BASEBALL)¦a way of hitting the ball in ↑cricket, golf, or baseball so that it does not go straight, but moves to one side
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.