| pull (pʊl) |
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| —vb |
| 1. | (also intr) to exert force on (an object) so as to draw it towards the source of the force |
| 2. | to exert force on so as to remove; extract: to pull a tooth |
| 3. | to strip of feathers, hair, etc; pluck |
| 4. | to draw the entrails from (a fowl) |
| 5. | to rend or tear |
| 6. | to strain (a muscle, ligament, or tendon) injuriously |
| 7. | informal (usually foll by off) to perform or bring about: to pull off a million-pound deal |
| 8. | informal (often foll by on) to draw out (a weapon) for use: he pulled a knife on his attacker |
| 9. | informal to attract: the pop group pulled a crowd |
| 10. | slang (also intr) to attract (a sexual partner) |
| 11. | (intr; usually foll by on or at) to drink or inhale deeply: to pull at one's pipe; pull on a bottle of beer |
| 12. | to put on or make (a grimace): to pull a face |
| 13. | (also intr; foll by away, out, over, etc) to move (a vehicle) or (of a vehicle) be moved in a specified manner: he pulled his car away from the roadside |
| 14. | printing to take (a proof) from type |
| 15. | to withdraw or remove: the board decided to pull their support |
| 16. | sport to hit (a ball) so that it veers away from the direction in which the player intended to hit it (to the left for a right-handed player) |
| 17. | cricket to hit (a ball pitched straight or on the off side) to the leg side |
| 18. | hurling to strike (a fast-moving ball) in the same direction as it is already moving |
| 19. | (also intr) to row (a boat) or take a stroke of (an oar) in rowing |
| 20. | to be rowed by: a racing shell pulls one, two, four, or eight oars |
| 21. | (of a rider) to restrain (a horse), esp to prevent it from winning a race |
| 22. | (intr) (of a horse) to resist strongly the attempts of a rider to rein in or check it |
| 23. | slang pull a fast one to play a sly trick |
| 24. | pull apart, pull to pieces to criticize harshly |
| 25. | informal (Austral) pull your head in be quiet! |
| 26. | pull one's punches |
| | a. informal to restrain the force of one's criticisms or actions |
| | b. boxing to restrain the force of one's blows, esp when deliberately losing after being bribed, etc |
| 27. | informal pull one's weight to do one's fair or proper share of a task |
| 28. | informal pull strings to exercise personal influence, esp secretly or unofficially |
| 29. | informal pull someone's leg to make fun of, fool, or tease someone |
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| —n |
| 30. | an act or an instance of pulling or being pulled |
| 31. | the force or effort used in pulling: the pull of the moon affects the tides on earth |
| 32. | the act or an instance of taking in drink or smoke |
| 33. | something used for pulling, such as a knob or handle |
| 34. | informal special advantage or influence: his uncle is chairman of the company, so he has quite a lot of pull |
| 35. | informal the power to attract attention or support |
| 36. | a period of rowing |
| 37. | a single stroke of an oar in rowing |
| 38. | the act of pulling the ball in golf, cricket, etc |
| 39. | the act of checking or reining in a horse |
| 40. | the amount of resistance in a bowstring, trigger, etc |
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| [Old English pullian; related to Icelandic pūla to beat] |
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| 'puller |
| |
| —n |