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pull

noun

  1. (try to) cause motion, causing motion
L18226 on Wikidata ↗

verb

  1. to draw, to drag, to haul, to pluck, to lug
  2. (try to) cause motion, causing motion
  3. remove from availability for consumption
  4. "pull the plug" or similar idiom
L3431 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /pʊl/ / /pəl/ / /pʉl/

intj

Etymology: 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”).

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

noun

Etymology: 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”).

  1. 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.

  2. 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. An advantage over somebody; a means of influencing.

    The hypnotist exerted a pull over his patients.

    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. The power to influence someone or something; sway, clout.

    I don't have a lot of pull within the company.

    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.

  5. Any device meant to be pulled, as a lever, knob, handle, or rope.

    a zipper pull

  6. A randomized selection from a given set.

    card pull

  7. A randomized selection from a given set.

    mythical FYP pull

  8. A randomized selection from a given set.
  9. Something in one's favour in a comparison or a contest; advantage.

    In weights the favourite had the pull.

  10. Appeal or attraction.

    the pull of a movie star

  11. The act or process of sending out a request for data from a server by a client.

    server pull

    pull technology

  12. 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.

  13. A contest; a struggle.

    a wrestling pull

    this wrastling pull betweene Corineus and Gogmagog, is reported to have befallen at Douer.

  14. An injury resulting from a forceful pull on a limb, etc.; strain; sprain.

    They used steroids to build strength but, more importantly, to recover from strains, pulls, dislocations.

  15. Loss, misfortune, or violence suffered.

    Two pulls at once; / His lady banished, and a limb lopped off.

  16. A drink, especially of an alcoholic beverage; a mouthful or swig of a drink.

    Heah, Sam Johnsing, jis' take a pull at dis bottle, an' it will make yo' feel better.

    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.

  17. 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.

    The pull is not a legitimate stroke, but bad cricket.

  18. A mishit shot which travels in a straight line and (for a right-handed player) left of the intended path.
  19. A single impression from a handpress.

    "Tell George to come down and bring pulls of his latest plates," confirmed Joolby.

  20. A proof sheet.

verb

Etymology: 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”).

  1. 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

  3. To attract or net; to pull in.

    Television, a favored source of news and information, pulls the largest share of advertising monies.

    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. To persuade (someone) to have sex with one.

    I pulled at the club last night.

    He's pulled that bird over there.

  5. To interest (someone) in dating or pursuing one (whether or not this has led to sex).

    Wow, Joyce pulls, actually.

  6. 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. 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?

  8. To obtain (a permit) from a regulatory authority.

    It's the contractor's responsibility to pull the necessary permits before starting work.

  9. 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.

  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. To row.

    It had been a sort of race hitherto, and the rowers, with set teeth and compressed lips, had pulled stroke for stroke.

  13. To transport by rowing.

    As the man at the oars pulled him across, the scientist said to him, "Do you know astronomy?"

  14. 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.

    He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.

    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. To strain (a muscle, tendon, ligament, etc.).
  17. To draw (a hostile non-player character) into combat, or toward or away from some location or target.

    …we had to clear a long hallway, run up half way, pull the boss mob to us, and engage.

    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.

  18. To score a certain number of points in a sport.

    How many points did you pull today, Albert?

  19. To hold back, and so prevent from winning.

    The favourite was pulled.

  20. To take or make (a proof or impression); so called because hand presses were worked by pulling a lever.
  21. To strike the ball in a particular manner. (See noun sense.)

    Never pull a straight fast ball to leg.

  22. To draw beer from a pump, keg, or other source.

    Let's stop at Finnigan's. The barman pulls a good pint.

  23. To take a swig or mouthful of drink.

    Danny pulled at his beer and thought for a moment.

  24. Of a railroad car, to pull out from a yard or station; to leave.
  25. (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. 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. To repeatedly stretch taffy in order to achieve the desired stretchy texture.
  28. To retrieve source code or other material from a source control repository.
  29. In practice fighting, to reduce the strength of a blow (etymology 3) so as to avoid injuring one's practice partner.
  30. To impede the progress of (a horse) to prevent its winning a race.

    '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.'