pull

pull1 [ pul ] verb ***

▸ 1 move someone/something toward you

▸ 2 remove something attached

▸ 3 move body with force

▸ 4 injure muscle

▸ 5 take gun/knife out

▸ 6 move window cover

▸ 7 make someone want to do something

▸ 8 get votes

▸ 9 suck smoke in

▸ 10 attract someone sexually

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) intransitive or transitive to move something or someone toward you using your hands:

pull something away from/out of/into etc. something: Help me pull the sofa away from the wall.

I climbed into bed and pulled the comforter over my head.

pull at/on: The little girl pulled gently at my sleeve.

pull something open/shut: Jane pulled the door open.

pull something tight: Don't pull the string too tight.

a ) transitive to remove something or someone from inside or under something by moving them toward you:

pull someone out of something: A lifeguard had to pull her out of the water.

pull something from something: He pulled a suitcase from under the bed.

b ) transitive to move something along behind you:

Two horses were pulling the plow.

c ) transitive to move a handle that controls a machine so that the machine works:

You pull hard on this lever to unlock the car's hood.

She raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

2. ) transitive to use force to remove something that is attached into or onto something else:

I'm going to the dentist to get a tooth pulled.

pull up: She was pulling up the weeds.

pull off: Wash the mushrooms and pull off the stalks.

3. ) transitive pull something up/out/back etc. to move your body or part of your body using effort or force:

She nearly lost a shoe pulling her foot out of the hole.

Head aching, he slowly pulled himself to his feet.

4. ) transitive to injure a muscle by stretching it too much

5. ) transitive to take a gun or knife out of a pocket and be ready to use it:

pull something on someone: His attacker suddenly pulled a knife on him.

6. ) transitive to open or close something that covers a window:

Alice pulled the curtains shut.

The nurse pulled down the blinds.

7. ) intransitive or transitive if something pulls a person or organization in a particular direction, it makes them want to do something by strongly attracting or influencing them:

Her heart pulled one way, her head another.

Factions in the party are pulling in different directions.

8. ) pull or pull in transitive if a performer or a performance pulls an audience, a large number of people come to watch them

a ) transitive if a politician pulls votes, a lot of people vote for them

9. ) transitive pull on/at to suck smoke from a cigarette, pipe, etc. into your mouth or lungs:

Mrs. Harris stood at the door pulling on a cigarette.

10. ) BRITISH INFORMAL if you pull someone, that person is attracted to you in a sexual or romantic way

pull a fast one INFORMAL

to trick someone

pull someone's leg

to tell someone something that is not true, as a joke:

I think he was just pulling your leg.

pull out all the stops

to make a big effort so that something happens or is successful

pull rank (on someone)

to use the fact that you are more important or powerful than someone in order to force them to do what you want

pull strings

to use your influence in order to get something you want or to help someone, especially when this is unfair

pull the strings

if someone is pulling the strings, they are controlling a situation and the people in it, especially secretly

pull something to pieces/apart

1. ) to separate the connected pieces of something:

They're pulling that airplane apart to find out what's wrong.

2. ) to show very clearly that what someone has said or written is badly done or not true:

My lawyer is pulling their case to pieces.

pull to a stop/halt

to stop moving

pull a trick/stunt INFORMAL

to do something silly or dangerous, especially in order to trick or impress someone

pull your weight

to work as hard as the other people who are taking part in an activity or a job

pull the wool over someone's eyes

to try to trick or cheat someone by giving them wrong information

pull yourself together

to control your emotions and behave calmly after being very upset, angry, shocked, etc.

=> PLUG 2, PUNCH 2, RABBIT

,pull a`head phrasal verb intransitive

1. ) to get in front of someone by moving faster than they do

2. ) to start to make progress faster than someone

,pull a`part phrasal verb transitive

pull someone apart to separate two people or animals that are fighting

,pull a`way phrasal verb intransitive

1. ) if a vehicle or driver pulls away, they start to move

2. ) to move away from someone who is trying to hold you or touch you:

When he tried to kiss her, she pulled away from him.

3. ) used about a person or team that starts to win:

They were neck and neck, then Akers pulled away.

pull away from: The Blues pulled away from the Red Wings in the third period.

,pull `back phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive or transitive if soldiers pull back, or if someone pulls them back, they move back toward their own land

2. ) intransitive to decide not to do something that will probably have bad effects:

pull back from: The government has pulled back from sending the navy there.

3. ) intransitive to move your body away from someone who is holding you or touching you

,pull `down phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to destroy a building, especially because it is very old or dangerous: DEMOLISH

2. ) pull in pull down/in something AMERICAN to earn a particular amount of money: CLEAR, TAKE HOME

,pull `in phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive if a train pulls in, it arrives at a station

a ) if a vehicle or driver pulls in somewhere, they stop there

2. ) transitive pull in something same as PULL DOWN 2:

She's pulling in at least six figures (=$100,000).

3. ) transitive pull in something same as PULL1 8:

The program pulled in 3.6 million viewers.

4. ) transitive INFORMAL if the police pull someone in, they arrest them

,pull `into phrasal verb transitive

pull (something) into something if a vehicle or driver pulls into a place, they stop there:

The train pulled into Grand Central Station.

He pulled the car into the parking lot.

,pull `off phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to succeed in doing something that is difficult:

Sandy managed to pull off a surprise party for her husband.

pull it off (=to succeed at what you are trying to do): They nearly managed to get the loan but just failed to pull it off.

2. ) pull (something) off something if a vehicle or driver pulls off a road, they stop by the side of it

3. ) pull something off something INFORMAL to take information from one computer and put it onto another:

You can pull the files you need off the Internet.

4. ) to take off clothes, especially quickly:

She pulled the dress off over her head.

,pull `on phrasal verb transitive

to put on clothes, especially quickly:

Emily pulled on her gloves as she walked.

,pull `out phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive to stop being involved in an activity, event, or situation:

The firm is pulling out of the personal computer business.

a ) intransitive or transitive if soldiers pull out of a place, or if someone pulls them out, they leave: WITHDRAW

2. ) intransitive if a train pulls out, it leaves a station

a ) if a vehicle or driver pulls out, they move onto a road or onto a part of a road where the traffic is moving faster:

She just pulled out in front of me without using her turn signal!

,pull `over phrasal verb

intransitive if a vehicle or driver pulls over, they stop by the side of the road

a. transitive if the police pull a vehicle over, they order its driver to stop at the side of the road

,pull `through phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive to manage to stay alive after you have been very sick or very badly injured:

Don't worry, your dad's going to pull through.

2. ) intransitive or transitive pull someone through to succeed in a very difficult situation, or to help someone do this:

He said the support of his family had pulled him through.

,pull to`gether phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive if people pull together, they work together to achieve something

2. ) intransitive or transitive to combine different things so that they form a single unit:

The report pulls together information from several offices.

,pull `up phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive if a vehicle or driver pulls up, they stop:

Their taxi pulled up outside the church.

2. ) intransitive or transitive pull someone up if you pull up or if something pulls you up, you unexpectedly stop what you are doing

pull up a chair/stool/seat etc.

to move a seat near to where someone is sitting, and sit on it

pull someone up on something

to criticize someone about something they are not doing well enough:

Last week my five-year-old pulled me up on my spelling!

pull someone up short

to make someone unexpectedly stop in surprise and think:

The question pulled Rory up short.

pull

pull 2 [ pul ] noun *

1. ) count the act of moving something toward you or away from where it was:

give a pull: Mark gave a quick pull on the rope.

2. ) count pull of a strong physical force that causes things to move in a particular direction:

the pull of gravity

3. ) singular the power that something or someone has to attract people:

the pull of travel in foreign lands

a ) the power that someone has to get what they want, usually because they have influence over other people:

She has a lot of pull in that company.

a long pull

a lot of effort to achieve something over a long period of time:

It's been a long pull, but I'm through those finals.

take a pull

1. ) to drink something, especially an alcoholic drink:

take a pull on: John took a long pull on his beer.

2. ) to take smoke from a cigarette, etc. into your lungs:

take a pull on/at: He took a pull at his cigar.