pull

/pʊl/

/pʊl/

Other forms: pulled; pulls

To pull is to use force to drag or yank something toward you. You might pull a rolling suitcase as you run to catch your train, for example.

A horse pulls a carriage, and a tow truck pulls your dead car along the highway. You can also pull the cord on the bus that signals the driver to stop, and the kid next to you might pull on your jacket to ask if he can take your seat. A magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat by grasping it and lifting, and a sad story pulls at your heart (figuratively) — it exerts a force on your emotions.

Definitions of pull

1. verb

   apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion
   “Pull the rope”

   “Pull the handle towards you”

   “pull the string gently”

   “pull your knees towards your chin”

   synonyms:

   draw, force

   cause to move by pulling

   types:

   twist, wrench

   twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates

   gather

   draw and bring closer

   attract

   exert a force on (a body) causing it to approach or prevent it from moving away

   hike up, hitch up

   pull up

   pick at, pluck at, pull at

   pluck or pull at with the fingers

   draw back, pull back, retract

   use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)

   draw close

   pull towards oneself

   type of:

   force

   do forcibly; exert force
2. verb

   cause to move by pulling
   “pull a sled”

   synonyms: draw, force

   draw

   cause to move in a certain direction by exerting a force upon, either physically or in an abstract sense

   antonyms:

   push

   move with force, "He pushed the table into a corner"

   push

   press against forcefully without moving

   types:

   twitch

   move or pull with a sudden motion

   pull back

   move to a rearward position; pull towards the back

   adduct

   draw a limb towards the body

   abduct

   pull away from the body

   stretch

   pull in opposite directions

   pick, pluck, plunk

   pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion

   tug

   pull or strain hard at

   drag

   pull, as against a resistance

   cart, drag, hale, haul

   draw slowly or heavily

   attract, draw, draw in, pull in

   direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

   jerk, yank

   pull, or move with a sudden movement

   winch

   pull or lift up with or as if with a winch

   pick off, pluck, pull off, tweak

   pull or pull out sharply

   draw, pull back

   stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow)

   skitter

   twitch the hook of a fishing line through or along the surface of water

   twang

   pluck (strings of an instrument)

   tug

   pull hard

   pull along, schlep, shlep

   pull along heavily, like a heavy load against a resistance

   trail, train

   drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground

   bouse, bowse

   haul with a tackle

   arrest, catch, get

   attract and fix

   draw in, retract

   pull inward or towards a center

   tweeze

   pluck with tweezers

   bring

   attract the attention of

   type of:

   displace, move

   cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
3. verb

   remove, usually with some force or effort; also used in an abstract sense
   “pull weeds”

   synonyms: draw out, extract, pull out, pull up, take out

   draw, get out, pull out, take out

   bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover

   types:

   squeeze out, wring out

   extract (liquid) by squeezing or pressing

   demodulate

   extract information from a modulated carrier wave

   thread

   remove facial hair by tying a fine string around it and pulling at the string

   type of:

   remove, take, take away, withdraw

   remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
4. verb

   bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover
   synonyms: draw, get out, pull out, take out

   draw out, extract, pull out, pull up, take out

   remove, usually with some force or effort; also used in an abstract sense

   draw, take out

   take liquid out of a container or well

   types:

   unsheathe

   draw from a sheath or scabbard

   type of:

   remove, take, take away, withdraw

   remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
5. verb

   operate when rowing a boat
   “pull the oars”

   type of:

   row

   propel with oars
6. verb

   tear or be torn violently
   “pull the cooked chicken into strips”

   synonyms: rend, rent, rip, rive

   type of:

   bust, rupture, snap, tear

   separate or cause to separate abruptly
7. verb

   take away
   “pull the old soup cans from the supermarket shelf”

   synonyms:

   draw, get out, pull out, take out

   bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover

   type of:

   remove, take, take away, withdraw

   remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
8. noun

   the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you
   “the pull up the hill had him breathing harder”

   “his strenuous pulling strained his back”

   synonyms: pulling

   types:

   drag

   the act of dragging (pulling with force)

   draw, haul, haulage

   the act of drawing or hauling something

   jerk, tug, yank

   a sudden abrupt pull

   draft, draught, drawing

   the act of moving a load by drawing or pulling

   deracination, excision, extirpation

   the act of pulling up or out; uprooting; cutting off from existence

   pluck

   the act of pulling and releasing a taut cord

   traction

   (orthopedics) the act of pulling on a bone or limb (as in a fracture) to relieve pressure or align parts in a special way during healing

   tow, towage

   the act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope

   type of:

   actuation, propulsion

   the act of propelling
9. noun

   the force used in pulling
   “the pull of the moon”

   “the pull of the current”

   type of:

   force

   (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity
10. noun

    a device used for pulling something
    “he grabbed the pull and opened the drawer”

    types:

    bellpull

    a handle or cord that is pulled to ring a doorbell or a servant's bell etc.

    pull chain

    a chain (usually with a handle at the end) that is pulled in order to operate some mechanism (e.g. to flush a toilet)

    type of:

    device

    an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
11. noun

    a slow inhalation (as of tobacco smoke)
    synonyms: drag, puff

    types:

    toke

    a puff of a marijuana or hashish cigarette

    type of:

    aspiration, breathing in, inhalation, inspiration, intake

    the act of inhaling; the drawing in of air (or other gases) as in breathing
12. verb

    cause to move in a certain direction by exerting a force upon, either physically or in an abstract sense
    “A declining dollar pulled down the export figures for the last quarter”

    synonyms: draw

    draw, force

    cause to move by pulling

    type of:

    displace, move

    cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
13. verb

    move into a certain direction
    “the car pulls to the right”

    types:

    cut in

    drive in front of another vehicle leaving too little space for that vehicle to maneuver comfortably

    type of:

    drive

    move by being propelled by a force
14. verb

    steer into a certain direction
    “pull one's horse to a stand”

    “Pull the car over”

    type of:

    drive

    cause someone or something to move by driving
15. verb

    hit in the direction that the player is facing when carrying through the swing
    “pull the ball”

    type of:

    hit

    cause to move by striking
16. verb

    direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
    “The ad pulled in many potential customers”

    “This pianist pulls huge crowds”

    synonyms: attract, draw, draw in, pull in

    draw in, retract

    pull inward or towards a center

    curl, curl up, draw in

    shape one's body into a curl

    types:

    tug

    pull hard

    arrest, catch, get

    attract and fix

    draw in, retract

    pull inward or towards a center

    bring

    attract the attention of

    introvert, invaginate

    fold inwards

    type of:

    draw, force

    cause to move by pulling
17. noun

    special advantage or influence
    “the chairman's nephew has a lot of pull”

    synonyms: clout

    type of:

    advantage, vantage

    the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
18. noun

    a sustained effort
    “it was a long pull but we made it”

    type of:

    effort, elbow grease, exertion, sweat, travail

    use of physical or mental energy; hard work
19. verb

    strain abnormally
    “I pulled a muscle in my leg when I jumped up”

    “The athlete pulled a tendon in the competition”

    synonyms: overstretch

    type of:

    injure, wound

    cause injuries or bodily harm to
20. noun

    a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments
    “he was sidelined with a hamstring pull”

    synonyms: twist, wrench

    types:

    sprain

    a painful injury to a joint caused by a sudden wrenching of its ligaments

    type of:

    harm, hurt, injury, trauma

    any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
21. verb

    perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
    “pull a bank robbery”

    synonyms: commit, perpetrate

    types:

    make

    carry out or commit

    recommit

    commit once again, as of a crime

    type of:

    act, move

    perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
22. verb

    rein in to keep from winning a race
    “pull a horse”

    type of:

    rein, rein in

    stop or check by or as if by a pull at the reins
23. verb

    strip of feathers
    “pull a chicken”

    synonyms: deplumate, deplume, displume, pluck, tear

    type of:

    strip

    remove the surface from
24. verb

    take sides with; align oneself with; show strong sympathy for
    “I'm pulling for the underdog”

    synonyms: root for

    type of:

    side

    take sides for or against