From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpullpull1 /pʊl/ ●●● S1 W1 verb 1 move something towards you [intransitive, transitive]PULL to use your hands to make something or someone move towards you or in the direction that your hands are moving OPP push Mom! Davey’s pulling my hair!pull somebody/something into/away from/over etc something He pulled her down into her seat.pull something open/shut She pulled open the door and hurried inside.2 remove [transitive]PULL to use force to take something from the place where it is fixed or held She has to have two teeth pulled.pull something out/off/away etc Vicky had pulled the arm off her doll.3 make something follow you [transitive]PULL to be attached to something or hold something and make it move behind you in the direction you are going a tractor pulling a trailer4 take something out [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to take something out of a bag, pocket etc with your hand He pulled out his wallet and said ‘let me pay’. Ben pulled a pen from his pocket.pull a gun/knife (on somebody) (=take one out, ready to use it)5 clothing [transitive always + adverb/preposition]PULL to put on or take off a piece of clothing, usually quicklypull on/off/up/down etc He pulled off his damp shirt. 6 move your body a) [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition]BACK/BACKWARDS to move your body or part of your body away from someone or somethingpull something away/free She tried to pull her hand free, but it was held fast.pull something out of/from something She struggled fiercely, trying to pull her arm out of his grasp.pull away/back She pulled away from him. b) pull yourself up/to your feet etcPULL to hold onto something and use your strength to move your body towards it Benny pulled himself up from the floor with difficulty.7 muscle [transitive]MI to injure one of your muscles by stretching it too much during physical activity SYN strain Paul pulled a muscle trying to lift the freezer.► see thesaurus at hurt8 → pull strings9 → pull the/somebody’s strings10 trick/crime [transitive] informalSCC to succeed in doing something illegal or dishonest or in playing a trick on someone The gang have pulled another bank robbery. He was trying to pull a fast one (=deceive you) when he told you he’d paid.pull a stunt/trick/joke Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again!11 → pull somebody’s leg12 → pull the other one (it’s got bells on)13 switch [transitive]PULL to move a control such as a switch, lever, or trigger towards you to make a piece of equipment work She raised the gun, and pulled the trigger.14 → pull the curtains/blinds15 crowd/votes etc [transitive]GET if an event, performer etc pulls crowds or a politician pulls a lot of votes, a lot of people come to see them or vote for them Muhammad Ali can still pull the crowds. 16 attract/influence [transitive] to attract or influence someone or their thoughts or feelings The city’s reputation for a clean environment has pulled new residents from other states.17 sexually attract [intransitive, transitive] British English spokenSEX/HAVE SEX WITH to attract someone in order to have sex with them or spend the evening with them He knew he could pull any girl he wanted.18 stop event [transitive] to stop a planned event from taking place They pulled the concert.19 → pull somebody’s licence20 stop a vehicle [intransitive, transitive] to drive a vehicle somewhere and stop, or to make a vehicle gradually slow down and stoppull something into/towards/down etc something She pulled the car into a side street. The bus pulled to a halt.21 car [intransitive]TTC if a car pulls to the left or right as you are driving, it moves in that direction because of a problem with its machinery 22 → something is like pulling teeth23 beer [transitive] British EnglishDF to get beer out of a barrel by pulling a handle The barman laughed and began to pull a couple of pints.24 → pull a punch25 cricket/golf/baseball [intransitive, transitive]DS to hit the ball in cricket, golf, or baseball so that it does not go straight but moves to one side26 row a boat [intransitive, transitive]TTWTTW to make a boat move by using oars → pull/make a face at face1(2), → pull your finger out at finger1(12), → pull rank (on somebody) at rank1(5), → pull the rug (out) from under somebody’s feet at rug(3), → pull the plug (on something) at plug1(5), → pull your socks up at sock1(3), → pull your weight at weight1(12), → pull the wool over somebody’s eyes at wool(4)THESAURUSpull to make something or someone move in the direction that your hands are movingHe pulled her towards him and kissed her.Sam was pulling on his socks.tug to pull something suddenly with a short quick movement, often to get someone’s attention‘Look, ’ he said, tugging at his brother’s sleeve.I tugged at the drawer but it wouldn’t open.drag to pull something along the ground, especially because it is heavyIf we can’t lift the piano, we’ll have to drag it.haul to pull something big and heavy using a lot of effort, especially upwards and using a ropeThey hauled their boats further up the beach. fishermen hauling in their netsheave to pull or lift something very heavy, especially with one movementHe heaved the sack of sand onto his shoulder.draw formal to pull something or someone gently in a particular directionLisa reached for his hand but he drew it away.pull to be attached to a vehicle or piece of machinery and make it move behind you in the direction you are goingTen dogs were pulling a sledge over the ice.a tractor pulling a ploughtow to pull a vehicle behind – used about a vehicle, a boat, or a horse pulling something using a rope or chainThe car in front of us was towing a caravan.Horses were used to tow the boats along the canals.draw to pull a vehicle such as a carriage – used especially about horses doing thisa carriage drawn by four horsesa horse-drawn cart → pull ahead → pull apart → pull at/on something → pull away → pull back → pull down → pull for somebody/something → pull in → pull off → pull on something → pull out → pull over → pull (somebody) through → pull together → pull up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
pull• a train pulling 64 boxcars• She's going to have her wisdom teeth pulled.• Sampras dropped out of the tournament after pulling a calf muscle.• Crawford had been ordered to take a day's rest after pulling a leg muscle.• I pulled a muscle trying to move the piano into the apartment.• a tractor pulling a plough• The team was pulled at the last minute.• The Queen's carriage was pulled by two white horses.• Everyone took hold of the rope and pulled hard.• She was angry enough to pull her kids from the school.• He pulled her towards him and kissed her.• That bloke who keeps pulling his double set of teeth out had pinched the lot.• Marcus then undid Patrick's pyjama jacket and started to try to pull it off, then decided not to.• Bagert is expected to pull just enough votes to win.• I can hear him pulling on his goddamn cigarette.• I put my hand into my jacket pocket, felt for the pack, and pulled one out.• Pull the chair nearer to the fire.• If you can pull the paper out easily, the seals probably need replacing.• She raised the gun and pulled the trigger.• You need to pull this lever to start the machine.• The car seems to be pulling to the left.• He pulled up for the jumper and it rolled nicely in the rim.• Eventually a farmer on a tractor pulled up.• Don't start pulling yet - wait till I say go.pull something open/shut• Tim got in the car and pulled the door shut.pull a gun/knife (on somebody)• Confronting two young men outside a Vista apartment building, 18-year-old Lane pulled a gun.• The drunk one pulled a gun.• Hitchhikers pulled a gun and shot at him.• Mr Kerr had stepped in and overpowered the accused, who then had pulled a knife and stabbed him repeatedly.• He pulled a gun during a family dispute Feb. 13,1995.• Crossley's mouth dropped open as he saw the taller man pull a gun into view.• It's not every day a young woman pulls a gun on a burglar.• He then pulled a knife out from his jeans and held it to her throat.pull on/off/up/down etc• They totaled one point between them in 29 minutes, although Fowlkes did pull down four rebounds.• Luke had to pull off her hands, one by one and half carry her along the bus and down the steps.• She pulled on her towelling bathrobe and slid her feet into a pair of sandals.• It is quite legal to go out into the countryside, find a hedgehog and pull off its legs one by one.• He is now trying to pull down the house about the ears of Winchester's Tories.• On Navigator, pull down the menu marked Options, and then click on the Helpers tab.• Raider and hunter tussled, strength against strength, the one pulling up, the other down.• I think the message of this election is that the pro-family movement pulled off what it has never achieved in its history.pull a stunt/trick/joke• Then, as the United States Army neared, the well-mobilized army of Young pulled a trick.• Old Rudolf being smart enough to pull a trick like that!• Supposing Gesner pulled a trick, or she fell over.pullpull2 ●○○ noun 1 act of moving something [countable] an act of using force to move something towards you or in the same direction that you are moving OPP push He gave her a sharp pull forward.2 force [countable usually singular]HP a strong physical force that makes things move in a particular direction the gravitational pull of the Moon3 attraction [countable usually singular]WANT the ability to attract someone or have a powerful effect on thempull of After about a year I gave in to the pull of fatherhood.4 influence [singular, uncountable] informalADVANTAGE special influence or power over other people His family’s name gives him a lot of pull in this town.5 climb [singular] British EnglishCLIMB a difficult climb up a steep road It was a long pull up the hill. 6 muscle [countable usually singular] an injury to one of your muscles, caused by stretching it too much during exercise a groin pull7 smoke/drink [countable]SMOKE an act of taking the smoke from a cigarette, pipe etc into your lungs or of taking a long drink of somethingpull on/at She took a long pull on her cigarette.8 handle [countable]DH a rope or handle that you use to pull something He popped the ring pull on another can of lager.9 cricket/golf/baseball [countable]DSCDSG a way of hitting the ball in cricket, golf, or baseball so that it does not go straight, but moves to one side10 → on the pullExamples from the Corpus
pull• Another pull for ten minutes or so brought me up on to the summit, where I sat down to have my lunch.• The final pull of day is seduced away to another gathering.• She gave a gentle pull on the reins, and the horse stopped.• That door sticks a bit - give it a good pull.• Give the rope a good pull.• As they were collapsing, the gravitational pull of matter outside these regions might start them rotating slightly.• I took one last pull from the water jug.• Specifically, investors should diversify with quality stocks and continue to invest for the long pull.• The former Senator has a lot of pull with the Republicans in Congress.• The moon's pull on the Earth's oceans creates the tides.• That pull does not usually create as much immediate conflict for them.• An average student, he felt the pull and excitement of the Army, so he left college to enlist in 1942.• After about a year I gave in to the pull and discovered that fatherhood has made me a much more serious person.• I couldn't remember where the pull was to open the parachute.• The pull of the Bavarian countryside is strong.pull on/at• In his room he pulled on a dressing-gown and sat down and waited.• I can hear him pulling on his goddamn cigarette.• Their arms and legs bow inward, the result of muscles pulling on soft bones.• With reluctance she pulled on a jacket and set out for the Rectory.• Holding Michael's hand tightly, she pulled on it.• All the time Midnight was silently pulling on his white stockings and buckling his shoes.• I tell myself, as I race down the steps, pulling on my jacket.• He was pulling on the front left fender, which was smashed and rubbing against the wheel.From Longman Business Dictionarypullpull /pʊl/ verb → pull in → pull something → off → pull out → pull together→ See Verb tableOrigin pull1 Old English pullian 