Pull

/pʊl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

the action of pulling something.

With a gentle pull, he opened the drawer.

an attractive influence or quality.

The pull of the music made everyone want to dance.

verb

to exert force on (someone or something) so as to cause movement toward oneself.

She decided to pull the heavy box closer to her.

to take hold of and remove (something) from a particular place.

He reached out to pull the book off the shelf.

to attract or draw (someone or something) toward a specified direction.

The bright lights pulled her attention away from the conversation.

Middle English pullen, from Old English pullian; akin to Middle Dutch pul-en to pull, and probably to Latin pullus young animal.

pull someone's leg

To tease or joke with someone.

pull the trigger

To make a decision to take action or to act on something.

pull out all the stops

To use all available resources to achieve something.

pullback

A retreat or reduction in something.

pulley

A wheel with a groove around it that holds a rope or cable.

pull-up

An exercise where one hangs from a bar and pulls oneself up.

To attract or win someone over.

He really knows how to pull.

To obtain or get something, often used in social contexts.

I pulled a great deal at the auction.