pull

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To take hold of something and move it toward you or in the same direction as yourself.

   She pulled the door open and stepped inside.

2. 2
   verb

   To injure a muscle by stretching it too far.

   I pulled a muscle in my leg when I jumped up.

3. 3
   noun

   The act or force of pulling something.

   She gave the rope a hard pull.

4. 4
   noun

   Special influence or advantage that helps you get what you want.

   The chairman's nephew has a lot of pull in the company.

Multiword verbs with pull

• pull ahead Phrasal verb A2

  to gain a leading position in a race or competition

• pull off Phrasal verb A2

  to succeed in doing something difficult or unlikely

• pull over Phrasal verb A2

  to move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Pull comes from Old English and originally denoted a short, sharp action, closer to pluck or snatch than to some of its broader modern uses. Its deeper origin is obscure.

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”).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary