Jump to content

pull

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Pull

English

[edit]
Preparing to pull a car from the mud with a rope (sense 1)

Etymology

[edit]

Verb from Middle English pullen, from Old English pullian (to pull, draw, tug, pluck off), of uncertain ultimate origin. Related to West Frisian pûlje (to shell, husk), Middle Dutch pullen (to drink), Middle Dutch polen (to peel, strip), Low German pulen (to pick, pluck, pull, tear, strip off husks), Icelandic púla (to work hard, beat).

Noun from Middle English pul, pull, pulle, from the verb pullen (to pull).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Verb

[edit]

pull (third-person singular simple present pulls, present participle pulling, simple past and past participle pulled)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force.
    When I give the signal, pull the rope.
    Pull your belt tight before starting off, will you?
  2. To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward oneself; to pluck or pick (flowers, fruit, etc.).
    to pull fruit from a tree
    pull flax
    pull a finch
    • 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle [], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., [], →OCLC:
      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.
  3. (transitive) To attract or net; to pull in.
    • 2002, Marcella Ridlen Ray, Changing and Unchanging Face of United States Civil Society:
      Television, a favored source of news and information, pulls the largest share of advertising monies.
    • 2011, Russell Simmons, Chris Morrow, Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All:
      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.
  4. (ambitransitive, chiefly UK, Ireland, slang) To persuade (someone) to have sex with one.
    I pulled at the club last night.
    He's pulled that bird over there.
    Grab your coat, love, you've pulled.
  5. (ambitransitive, US, slang) To interest (someone) in dating or pursuing one (whether or not this has led to sex).
    • 2025 January 7, David Willis (cartoonist), Jennifer Billingsworth (character), "Coincidence", Dumbing of Age (webcomic):
      Wow, Joyce pulls, actually.
  6. (transitive) To remove or withdraw (something), especially from public circulation or availability.
    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.
  7. (transitive) To retrieve or look up for use.
    I'll have to pull a part number for that.
    This computer file is incorrect. Can we pull the old version from your backups?
    • 2006, Michael Bellomo, Joel Elad, How to Sell Anything on Amazon...and Make a Fortune!:
      They'll go through their computer system and pull a report of all your order fulfillment records for the time period you specify.
  8. (construction) To obtain (a permit) from a regulatory authority.
    It's the contractor's responsibility to pull the necessary permits before starting work.
  9. (transitive, informal) To do or perform, especially something seen as negative by the speaker.
    He regularly pulls 12-hour days, sometimes 14.
    You'll be sent home if you pull another stunt like that.
    What are you trying to pull?
    • 1995, HAL Laboratory, EarthBound, Nintendo, Super Nintendo Entertainment System:
      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!
    • 2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 16:22 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?[1], archived from the original on 3 November 2022:
      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.
  10. 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.).
    He pulled an Elvis and got really fat.
    They're trying to pull a Watergate on us.
  11. To toss a frisbee with the intention of launching the disc across the length of a field.
  12. (intransitive) To row.
  13. (transitive) To transport by rowing.
    • 2022, Reuben A. Torrey, How to Be Saved and How to Be Lost, page 164:
      As the man at the oars pulled him across, the scientist said to him, "Do you know astronomy?"
  14. (transitive, rowing) To achieve by rowing on a rowing machine.
    I pulled a personal best on the erg yesterday.
  15. To draw apart; to tear; to rend.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, [] (King James Version), London: [] Robert Barker, [], →OCLC, Lamentations 3:11:
      He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
    • 2009, Ardie A. Davis, Chef Paul Kirk, America's Best BBQ, page 57:
      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.
  16. (transitive) To strain (a muscle, tendon, ligament, etc.).
  17. (video games, ambitransitive) To draw (a hostile non-player character) into combat, or toward or away from some location or target.
    • 2003 April 9, Richard Lawson, “Monual's Willful Ignorance”, in alt.games.everquest[2] (Usenet):
      …we had to clear a long hallway, run up half way, pull the boss mob to us, and engage.
    • 2004 October 18, Stush, “Re: focus pull”, in alt.games.dark-age-of-camelot[3] (Usenet):
      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.
    • 2005 August 2, Brian, “Re: How to tank Stratholme undead pulls?”, in alt.games.warcraft[4] (Usenet):
      This is the only thing that should get you to break off from your position, is to pull something off the healer.
    • 2007 April 10, John Salerno, “Re: Managing the Command Buttons”, in alt.games.warcraft[5] (Usenet):
      You could also set a fire trap, pull the mob toward it, then send in your pet….
    • 2008 August 18, Mark (newsgroups), “Re: I'm a priest now!”, in alt.games.warcraft[6] (Usenet):
      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.
  18. (UK) To score a certain number of points in a sport.
    How many points did you pull today, Albert?
  19. (horse-racing) To hold back, and so prevent from winning.
    The favourite was pulled.
  20. (printing, dated) To take or make (a proof or impression); so called because hand presses were worked by pulling a lever.
  21. (cricket, golf) To strike the ball in a particular manner. (See noun sense.)
  22. (UK) To draw beer from a pump, keg, or other source.
    Let's stop at Finnigan's. The barman pulls a good pint.
  23. (intransitive) To take a swig or mouthful of drink.
    • 1957, Air Force Magazine, volume 40, page 128:
      Danny pulled at his beer and thought for a moment.
  24. (rail transportation, US) Of a railroad car, to pull out from a yard or station; to leave.
  25. (transitive, intransitive) (Followed by a preposition or adverb) To drive (a vehicle) in a particular direction or to a particular place.
    Pull around to the window please.
    He pulled the car forward until he was out of the way.
  26. (transitive, law enforcement) To pull over (a driver or vehicle); to detain for a traffic stop.
    The state trooper pulled me for going 60 in a 55 zone.
  27. (cooking, transitive, intransitive) To repeatedly stretch taffy in order to achieve the desired stretchy texture.
  28. (computing) To retrieve source code or other material from a source control repository.
  29. (martial arts) In practice fighting, to reduce the strength of a blow (etymology 3) so as to avoid injuring one's practice partner.
  30. (horse racing, transitive) To impede the progress of (a horse) to prevent its winning a race.
    • 1897, Nat Gould, Not So Bad After All, page 200:
      '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.'

Conjugation

[edit]
Conjugation of pull
infinitive (to) pull
present tense past tense
1st-person singular pull pulled
2nd-person singular pull, pullest pulled, pulledst
3rd-person singular pulls, pulleth pulled
plural pull
subjunctive pull pulled
imperative pull
participles pulling pulled

Archaic or obsolete.

Synonyms

[edit]

Antonyms

[edit]
  • (antonym(s) of apply force to (something) so it comes towards one): push, repel, shove

Hyponyms

[edit]

Derived terms

[edit]

Translations

[edit]
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Interjection

[edit]

pull

  1. (gun sports) Command used by a target shooter to request that the target be released/launched.

Noun

[edit]

pull (countable and uncountable, plural pulls)

  1. (countable) An act of pulling (applying force toward oneself).
    He gave the hair a sharp pull and it came out.
    She took several pulls on her cigarette.
    • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. [] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: [] Benj[amin] Motte, [], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput):
      I found myself suddenly awaked with a violent pull upon the ring, which was fastened at the top of my box.
  2. (uncountable) An attractive force which causes motion towards the source.
    The spaceship came under the pull of the gas giant.
    iron fillings drawn by the pull of a magnet
  3. (uncountable, figurative) An advantage over somebody; a means of influencing.
    The hypnotist exerted a pull over his patients.
    • 1944, Henry Christopher Bailey, The Queen of Spades, page 72:
      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.
  4. (uncountable, figurative, informal) The power to influence someone or something; sway, clout.
    I don't have a lot of pull within the company.
    • 2016, Antoinette Burton, quoting Shukdev Sharma, Africa in the Indian Imagination, Duke University Press, →ISBN:
      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.
    • 2017, Maggie Blake, Her Haunted Past, Book Venture Publishing LLC, →ISBN, page 126:
      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.
    • 2020 March 27, Bettina Makalintal, “Samin Nosrat's 'Home Cooking' Podcast Will Make Your Quarantine Cooking Better”, in VICE[7], archived from the original on 6 December 2022:
      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.
  5. (countable) Any device meant to be pulled, as a lever, knob, handle, or rope.
    a zipper pull
  6. (countable, figurative) A randomized selection from a given set.
    card pull
    1. (Internet slang) A high-quality or funny recommendation by the algorithm.
      mythical FYP pull
    2. (gacha games) A player's use of a game's gacha mechanic to obtain a random reward.
  7. (figurative, slang, dated) Something in one's favour in a comparison or a contest; advantage.
    In weights the favourite had the pull.
  8. (uncountable, figurative) Appeal or attraction.
    the pull of a movie star
  9. (Internet) The act or process of sending out a request for data from a server by a client.
    server pull
    pull technology
  10. (countable) A journey made by rowing.
    • 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.
  11. (dated) A contest; a struggle.
    a wrestling pull
    • 1609, Richard Carew, The Survey of Cornwall, London: [] S[imon] S[tafford] for Iohn Iaggard, [], →OCLC:
      this wrastling pull betweene Corineus and Gogmagog, is reported to have befallen at Douer.
  12. (countable) An injury resulting from a forceful pull on a limb, etc.; strain; sprain.
    • 2010, Peter Corris, Torn Apart, Allen and Unwin, page 162:
      They used steroids to build strength but, more importantly, to recover from strains, pulls, dislocations.
  13. (obsolete, poetic) Loss, misfortune, or violence suffered.
  14. (countable, colloquial) A drink, especially of an alcoholic beverage; a mouthful or swig of a drink.
    • 1882, H. Elliott McBride, Well Fixed for a Rainy Day:
      Heah, Sam Johnsing, jis' take a pull at dis bottle, an' it will make yo' feel better.
    • 1913, Norman Lindsay, A Curate in Bohemia, Sydney: N.S.W. Bookstall Co., published 1932, page 9:
      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.
    • 1996, Jon Byrell, Lairs, Urgers and Coat-Tuggers, Sydney: Ironbark, page 294:
      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.'
  15. (cricket) 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.
    • 1887, R. A. Proctor, Longman's Magazine:
      The pull is not a legitimate stroke, but bad cricket.
  16. (golf) A mishit shot which travels in a straight line and (for a right-handed player) left of the intended path.
  17. (printing, historical) A single impression from a handpress.
  18. (printing) A proof sheet.

Synonyms

[edit]

Antonyms

[edit]
  • (antonym(s) of act of pulling): push, shove
  • (antonym(s) of attractive force): repulsion
  • (antonym(s) of device meant to be pulled): button, push, push-button
  • (antonym(s) of influence):

Derived terms

[edit]

Translations

[edit]

Chinese

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From English pull, via (to cause a thread to sink to the bottom of list of threads, literally to pull).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Verb

[edit]

pull

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, Internet slang) to cause a thread to sink to the bottom of list of threads

Synonyms

[edit]

Antonyms

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Estonian

[edit]

Etymology 1

[edit]

    From Middle Low German bulle. First attested in 1648.

    Pronunciation

    [edit]
    • IPA(key): /ˈpulʲː/, [ˈpulʲː]
    • Rhymes: -ulʲː
    • Hyphenation: pull

    Noun

    [edit]

    pull (genitive pulli, partitive pulli)

    1. bull, ox (male non-castrated bovine)
      Synonym: sõnn
      Hypernym: veis
      Coordinate terms: lehm, härg, mullikas, tarvas
      terve kui pullhealthy like a bull
    2. (by extension) any male animal, especially a moose
    Declension
    [edit]
    Declension of pull (ÕS type 22e/riik, length gradation)
    singular plural
    nominative pull pullid
    accusative nom.
    gen. pulli
    genitive pullide
    partitive pulli pulle
    pullisid
    illative pulli
    pullisse
    pullidesse
    pullesse
    inessive pullis pullides
    pulles
    elative pullist pullidest
    pullest
    allative pullile pullidele
    pullele
    adessive pullil pullidel
    pullel
    ablative pullilt pullidelt
    pullelt
    translative pulliks pullideks
    pulleks
    terminative pullini pullideni
    essive pullina pullidena
    abessive pullita pullideta
    comitative pulliga pullidega
    Derived terms
    [edit]
    Compounds
    [edit]

    Etymology 2

    [edit]

      From Proto-Finnic *pullo. Cognates include dialectal Finnish, Karelian, Livvi, and Votic pullo (bubble; float; swim bladder), Livonian buļ (bubble), Ingrian pullu (bubble), Ludian pull (bubble) and Veps pulo (float).

      Pronunciation

      [edit]
      • IPA(key): /ˈpulʲː/, [ˈpulʲː]
      • Rhymes: -ulʲː
      • Hyphenation: pull

      Noun

      [edit]

      pull (genitive pulli, partitive pulli)

      1. (obsolete or dialectal outside of compounds) bubble
        Synonym: mull
        • 1897, “Mees Üllikjärve ääres” (chapter 13), in Matthias Johann Eisen, compiler, Näki raamat[8], Tallinn: T. Turgan, →ISBN, page 13:
          Püsti tõustes kuulnud suurt sulpsatust järve peal, nagu oleks suur kivi vette visatud. Ilus naesterahvas olnud korraga kadunud. Seal kus ta püsti tõusis, vahutanud järve vesi ja ajanud pullisid vee peale.
          When he got up, he heard a big splash on the lake, as if a big stone had been thrown into the water. The beautiful woman had suddenly disappeared. Where she stood, the water of the lake foamed and drove bubbles onto the water.
        • 1877, Lilli Suburg, chapter I, in Liina. ühe eesti tütarlapse elulugu, temast enesest jutustatud.[9], Tartu: Schnakenburg, page 4:
          Kesk tuba seisab pisikene laud, sääl pääl üks pesuwaagen kuhjaga täis seebiwahu pullisid, Aurora ülesse kääritud käistega ühel ja mina niisamuti teine pool lauda, wõtame käpuga neid wahu pulla ja wiskame teine teisele suure naermisega pähä ja kus aga juhtub, nõnda, et wahune wesi juba sorinal mööda silma-nägu ja riideid maha jooseb, aga ka mõni wahututt juuste, ninade ja õlade külge rippuma on jäänud, mis meile nii weidrad näud annab, et proua ja preili ennast selle üle katki tahawad naerda.
          [Keset tuba seisab pisikene laud, seal peal üks pesuvaagen kuhjaga täis seebivahu mulle, Aurora üles kääritud käistega ühel ja mina niisamuti teisel pool lauda, võtame käpuga neid vahumulle ja viskame teineteisele suure naermisega pähe ja kuhu aga juhtub, nõnda, et vahune vesi juba sorinal mööda silma, nägu ja riideid maha jookseb, aga ka mõni vahututt juuste, ninade ja õlgade külge rippuma on jäänud, mis meile nii veidrad näod annab, et proua ja preili ennast selle üle katki tahavad naerda.]
          In the middle of the room there is a small table, on it there is a wash basin full of soapy foam bubbles, Aurora with her sleeves rolled up on one side and me on the other side of the table, we pick up the foam bubbles with our hands and throw them at each other's heads and wherever else with a big laugh, so that the foamy water already runs down our eyes, faces and clothes, but also some tufts of foam are left hanging on our hair, noses and shoulders, which gives us such strange faces that the lady and the missus want to burst laughing at us.
      Declension
      [edit]
      Declension of pull (ÕS type 22e/riik, length gradation)
      singular plural
      nominative pull pullid
      accusative nom.
      gen. pulli
      genitive pullide
      partitive pulli pulle
      pullisid
      illative pulli
      pullisse
      pullidesse
      pullesse
      inessive pullis pullides
      pulles
      elative pullist pullidest
      pullest
      allative pullile pullidele
      pullele
      adessive pullil pullidel
      pullel
      ablative pullilt pullidelt
      pullelt
      translative pulliks pullideks
      pulleks
      terminative pullini pullideni
      essive pullina pullidena
      abessive pullita pullideta
      comitative pulliga pullidega
      Compounds
      [edit]

      Etymology 3

      [edit]
        This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
        Particularly: “some dictionaries consider this to be etymology 1 "bull" with semantic development, some claim it to be a separate sound-symbolic term. Possible folk-etymology?”

        Pronunciation

        [edit]
        • IPA(key): /ˈpulʲː/, [ˈpulʲː]
        • Rhymes: -ulʲː
        • Hyphenation: pull

        Adjective

        [edit]

        pull (genitive pulli, partitive pulli, comparative pullim, superlative kõige pullim) (colloquial)

        1. funny, strange
        Declension
        [edit]
        Declension of pull (ÕS type 22e/riik, length gradation)
        singular plural
        nominative pull pullid
        accusative nom.
        gen. pulli
        genitive pullide
        partitive pulli pulle
        pullisid
        illative pulli
        pullisse
        pullidesse
        pullesse
        inessive pullis pullides
        pulles
        elative pullist pullidest
        pullest
        allative pullile pullidele
        pullele
        adessive pullil pullidel
        pullel
        ablative pullilt pullidelt
        pullelt
        translative pulliks pullideks
        pulleks
        terminative pullini pullideni
        essive pullina pullidena
        abessive pullita pullideta
        comitative pulliga pullidega

        Noun

        [edit]

        pull (genitive pulli, partitive pulli) (colloquial)

        1. joke, prank, trick (a strange, funny story or incident)
        Declension
        [edit]
        Declension of pull (ÕS type 22e/riik, length gradation)
        singular plural
        nominative pull pullid
        accusative nom.
        gen. pulli
        genitive pullide
        partitive pulli pulle
        pullisid
        illative pulli
        pullisse
        pullidesse
        pullesse
        inessive pullis pullides
        pulles
        elative pullist pullidest
        pullest
        allative pullile pullidele
        pullele
        adessive pullil pullidel
        pullel
        ablative pullilt pullidelt
        pullelt
        translative pulliks pullideks
        pulleks
        terminative pullini pullideni
        essive pullina pullidena
        abessive pullita pullideta
        comitative pulliga pullidega

        Derived terms

        [edit]

        Compounds

        [edit]

        Etymology 4

        [edit]

          From Swedish bulle.

          Pronunciation

          [edit]
          • IPA(key): /ˈpulʲː/, [ˈpulʲː]
          • Rhymes: -ulʲː
          • Hyphenation: pull

          Noun

          [edit]

          pull (genitive pulli, partitive pulli)

          1. (obsolete) loaf of bread
          Declension
          [edit]
          Declension of pull (ÕS type 22e/riik, length gradation)
          singular plural
          nominative pull pullid
          accusative nom.
          gen. pulli
          genitive pullide
          partitive pulli pulle
          pullisid
          illative pulli
          pullisse
          pullidesse
          pullesse
          inessive pullis pullides
          pulles
          elative pullist pullidest
          pullest
          allative pullile pullidele
          pullele
          adessive pullil pullidel
          pullel
          ablative pullilt pullidelt
          pullelt
          translative pulliks pullideks
          pulleks
          terminative pullini pullideni
          essive pullina pullidena
          abessive pullita pullideta
          comitative pulliga pullidega

          Etymology 5

          [edit]

            See etymology 2.

            Pronunciation

            [edit]
            • IPA(key): /ˈpulː/, [ˈpulː]
            • Rhymes: -ulː
            • Hyphenation: pull

            Noun

            [edit]

            pull (genitive pullu, partitive pullu)

            1. float (fishing, angling)
            Declension
            [edit]
            Declension of pull (ÕS type 22e/riik, length gradation)
            singular plural
            nominative pull pullud
            accusative nom.
            gen. pullu
            genitive pullude
            partitive pullu pulle
            pullusid
            illative pullu
            pullusse
            pulludesse
            pullesse
            inessive pullus pulludes
            pulles
            elative pullust pulludest
            pullest
            allative pullule pulludele
            pullele
            adessive pullul pulludel
            pullel
            ablative pullult pulludelt
            pullelt
            translative pulluks pulludeks
            pulleks
            terminative pulluni pulludeni
            essive pulluna pulludena
            abessive pulluta pulludeta
            comitative pulluga pulludega
            Compounds
            [edit]

            References

            [edit]
            • pull in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)
            • pull”, in [EKSS] Eesti keele seletav sõnaraamat [Descriptive Dictionary of the Estonian Language] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2009

            French

            [edit]

            Etymology

            [edit]

            Clipping of pull-over, from English pullover.

            Pronunciation

            [edit]

            Noun

            [edit]

            pull m (plural pulls)

            1. pullover
              Il fait froid; je vais mettre mon pull.
              It's cold; I'm going to put on my pullover.

            Old English

            [edit]

            Etymology

            [edit]

            From Proto-Germanic *pullaz (pool)

            Pronunciation

            [edit]

            Noun

            [edit]

            pull m or f

            1. pool, creek

            Portuguese

            [edit]

            Etymology

            [edit]

            Unadapted borrowing from English pull.

            Noun

            [edit]

            pull m (plural pulls)

            1. (ultimate frisbee) pull

            Swedish

            [edit]

            Etymology

            [edit]

            Onomatopoeic

            Interjection

            [edit]

            pull

            1. Used to attract a hen or other bird.

            Usage notes

            [edit]

            Usually repeated.

            Derived terms

            [edit]

            References

            [edit]