"pull" - meanings, definitions, synonyms, thesaurus and antonyms

\Pull\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pulled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Pulling}.] [AS. pullian; cf. LG. pulen, and Gael. peall,
piol, spiol.]
1. To draw, or attempt to draw, toward one; to draw forcibly.

         Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows.  --Shak.

         He put forth his hand . . . and pulled her in.
                                               --Gen. viii.
                                               9.

2. To draw apart; to tear; to rend.

         He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in
         pieces; he hath made me desolate.     --Lam. iii.
                                               11.

3. To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward one; to
   pluck; as, to pull fruit; to pull flax; to pull a finch.

4. To move or operate by the motion of drawing towards one;
   as, to pull a bell; to pull an oar.

5. (Horse Racing) To hold back, and so prevent from winning;
   as, the favorite was pulled.

6. (Print.) To take or make, as a proof or impression; --
   hand presses being worked by pulling a lever.

7. (Cricket) To strike the ball in a particular manner. See
   {Pull}, n., 8.

         Never pull a straight fast ball to leg. --R. H.
                                               Lyttelton.

{To pull and haul}, to draw hither and thither. `` Both are
   equally pulled and hauled to do that which they are unable
   to do. '' --South.

{To pull down}, to demolish; to destroy; to degrade; as, to
   pull down a house. `` In political affairs, as well as
   mechanical, it is easier to pull down than build up.''
   --Howell. `` To raise the wretched, and pull down the
   proud.'' --Roscommon.

{To pull a finch}. See under {Finch}.

{To pull off}, take or draw off.

\Pull\, v. i.
To exert one's self in an act or motion of drawing or
hauling; to tug; as, to pull at a rope.

{To pull apart}, to become separated by pulling; as, a rope
   will pull apart.

{To pull up}, to draw the reins; to stop; to halt.

{To pull through}, to come successfully to the end of a
   difficult undertaking, a dangerous sickness, or the like.

\Pull\, n.
1. The act of pulling or drawing with force; an effort to
   move something by drawing toward one.

         I awakened with a violent pull upon the ring which
         was fastened at the top of my box.    --Swift.

2. A contest; a struggle; as, a wrestling pull. --Carew.

3. A pluck; loss or violence suffered. [Poetic]

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

4. A knob, handle, or lever, etc., by which anything is
   pulled; as, a drawer pull; a bell pull.

5. The act of rowing; as, a pull on the river. [Colloq.]

6. The act of drinking; as, to take a pull at the beer, or
   the mug. [Slang] --Dickens.

7. Something in one's favor in a comparison or a contest; an
   advantage; means of influencing; as, in weights the
   favorite had the pull. [Slang]

8. (Cricket) A kind of stroke by which a leg ball is sent to
   the off side, or an off ball to the side.

         The pull is not a legitimate stroke, but bad
         cricket.                              --R. A.
                                               Proctor.