Pull Definition
po͝ol
pulled, pulling, pulls
verb
pulled, pulling, pulls
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.
Webster's New World
To remove from a fixed position; extract.
The dentist pulled the tooth.
American Heritage
To take a deep draft of a drink or puff at a cigarette, etc.
Webster's New World
To pick or uproot.
To pull carrots.
Webster's New World
To tug at; jerk or tweak.
I pulled the lever until it broke.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
noun
pulls
The act, force, or result of pulling.
Webster's New World
Force exerted in pulling or required to overcome resistance in pulling.
How much pull does this tugboat have?
American Heritage
A sustained effort.
A long pull across the mountains.
American Heritage
Something to be pulled, as the handle of a drawer, etc.
Webster's New World
Influence or special advantage.
Webster's New World
idiom
pull a fast one
- To play a trick or perpetrate a fraud.
American Heritage
pull (oneself) together
- To regain one's composure.
American Heritage
pull (one's) punches
- To refrain from deploying all the resources or force at one's disposal:
didn't pull any punches during the negotiations.
American Heritage
pull (one's) weight
- To do one's own share, as of work.
American Heritage
pull out all the stops
- To deploy all the resources or force at one's disposal:
The Inaugural Committee pulled out all the stops when arranging the ceremonies.
American Heritage
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Pull
- pull a fast one
- pull (oneself) together
- pull (one's) punches
- pull (one's) weight
- pull out all the stops
- pull (someone's) leg
- pull something
- pull strings
- pull the plug on
- pull the rug (out) from under
- pull the string
- pull the wool over (someone's) eyes
- pull together
- pull up stakes
- pull a face
- pull apart
- pull down
- pull for
- pull in
- pull off
- pull out
- pull over
- pull through
- pull oneself together
- pull up
Origin of Pull
-
From Middle English pullen, from Old English pullian (“to pull, draw, tug, pluck off"). Related to Middle Dutch pullen (“to drink"), Low German pulen (“to pick, pluck, pull, tear, strip off husks"), Icelandic púla (“to work hard, beat").
From Wiktionary
Middle English pullen from Old English pullian
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Find Similar Words
Find similar words to pull using the buttons below.