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单词 pull
释义

pulln.1

Brit. /pʊl/, U.S. /pʊl/
Forms: see pull v.
Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: pull v.
Etymology: < pull v.
I. Concrete senses.
†1. A type of dragnet. Obsolete. rare.
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the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > net > [noun] > drag-net
dray-netc1000
pullc1303
draw-net1386
dredge1471
drag1481
dragneta1542
train1576
tug-net1584
trainel1585
draught-net1630
trawl-net1697
trail1711
trawl1759
trail-net1820
pole trawl1836
train net1864
otter trawlc1870
turn-net1883
pair trawl1967
c1303 in T. D. Hardy Reg. Palatinum Dunelmensis (1875) III. 40 Duæ sagenæ quæ vocantur ‘Tol et Pul’ et quatuor stelnettes, duo rednettes.
2. That part of a mechanism by means of which something may be pulled; a handle or cord which may be pulled; (also) an instrument or device for pulling.Frequently as the second element in compounds, as bell-, cork-pull, etc.: see the first element.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > tool > parts of tools generally > [noun] > handle
handleeOE
helvec897
haftc1000
steal1377
start1380
handa1400
helmc1430
handlinga1450
pull1551
grasp1561
hilt1574
cronge1577
hold1578
tab1607
manubrium1609
tree1611
handfast1638
stock1695
handing1703
gripe1748
stem1796
handhold1797
grip1867
1551 Rye Churchwardens' Accts. in Antiquarian Horol. (1976) Winter 51 Paid..to the turner for making of iiij pullis, and for the turnyng of the barell for the chymes and viij handilles for the wynche of the clock iiijs.
1569–70 in A. Palmer Tudor Churchwardens' Accts. (1985) 12 Paid for the pooles to the belles.
1764 J. Prestage Particular of Argyll House 6 A door with a lock and key for a foot entrance..a bell pull and a shoe scraper.
1810 in G. Rose Diaries (1860) II. 438 She..laid the pull of the bell over the end of the bed.
1904 Daily Chron. 12 Apr. 3/5 ‘Pulls’, too, may be procured; rubber pulls, threads, and tubes that run beneath the suave performer's clothes as the pipes and wires run invisibly under London.
1935 I. H. Hoover Forty-two Years in White House i. i. 4 The outside pulls of the old front-door bell remained in place until the house was remodeled by President Roosevelt in 1903.
1949 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 21 Aug. 38/8 (advt.) Oriental and modern rugs in various sizes, old secretary with original pulls, silver and pewter ware, glass decanters, [etc.]
2001 Art Room Catal. Autumn 67/1 These truly opulent tassels..look stunning as Christmas tree decorations. Alternatively, use them as curtain tie-backs, light pulls or earrings.
3. Printing. A rough proof, taken without the preparations and adjustments necessary to create a finished impression. In early use more generally: any impression or (part of) a page printed by the act of pulling on the bar of a hand-press (cf. sense 9a).In some early presses more than one impression of the platen was required to print the whole of a large forme; hence first pull and second pull denoted the portions of type printed at the first and second pull of the bar respectively, which through careful alignment could be made to form a single image of the whole forme.
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society > communication > printing > printed matter > [noun] > amount printed > amount printed at one pull
pull1683
society > communication > printing > printed matter > [noun] > proof
probe1563
proof1602
proof-sheet1688
proof slip1829
pull1845
flat pull1888
flat impression1890
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 323 Having Pull'd the First Pull,..He turns the Rounce about again,..and then Pulls his second Pull.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 341 The hindside of the Plattin by the Second Pull reprints part of the First Pull.
1770 P. Luckombe Conc. Hist. Printing 357 Lest when he Runs in his Second Pull, the Face of the Plattin rub upon the Tympan, and shoves the sheet upon the Face of the Letter.
1845 C. Dickens Let. 1 Nov. (1977) IV. 423 The carriage..is to call for a pull of the first part of the Cricket.
1885 J. Coleman in Longman's Mag. 5 500 Previous to its suppression, they gave me a ‘pull’ of it [sc. an article].
1900 A. Upward Ebenezer Lobb 41 Take away that pull and bring me a revise directly. There are five mistakes in one par of ‘Talk’.
1933 D. L. Sayers Murder must Advertise iii. 42 He pulled towards him a guard-book pasted up with pulls of Nutrax advertising.
1973 Times 2 May 18/2 We also got advance ‘pulls’ of their literature. This we arranged with Odhams Press (through a workman) who did most of the Labour Party printing.
2003 J. M. Wilson Siegfried Sassoon: Journey from Trenches 474/1 There is also a pull of the title-page vignette by Gwen Raverat and several loose items inserted into the ms.
4. Originally Scottish. A section of a road or route which is comparatively steep, or which requires particular effort to climb; a sharp incline.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 6c.
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society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, passage, or means of access to a place > [noun] > upwards > steep
path1487
pull1766
1766 Observ. Advantages Good Roads 38 The number of pulls in the present road leading from Glasgow to Falkirk.
1798 C. Smith Young Philosopher IV. 130 This dairy woman was fain to get out to walk up this pull.
1812 J. Sinclair Acct. Syst. Husbandry Scotl. i. 63 If the roads were without pulls, a greater weight might be taken.
1855 F. Chamier My Trav. III. iv. 101 The..track..is a severe pull, and a most disagreeable, fagging one.
1954 Florence (S. Carolina) Morning News 16 May 2 b/5 (advt.) You move ahead and up that long steep pull in a silken, smooth sweep of almost effortless ease.
2004 Guardian (Nexis) 10 Aug. (Features section) 20 The long, steep pull out of the great mountain hollow of Engstligenalp leads south-west.
5. British slang. A person considered in regard to availability or suitability as a sexual partner. Cf. sense 11.
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society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > [noun] > sexual indulgence > unchaste behaviour of woman > unchaste or loose woman > woman who makes herself available
pushover1916
pick-me-up1918
round-heeler1927
lay1932
make1933
round heel1933
round heels1944
hump1969
pull1969
spare1969
1969 J. Fabian & J. Byrne Groupie xxx. 219 ‘I'm not going to sleep with you.’... ‘Why not?’ ‘Because I'm not an easy pull.’
1973 M. Amis Rachel Papers 37 It was so obviously me and my pull and Geoffrey and his pull getting together to plan a spotty removal to someone's house.
1993 J. Green It: Sex since Sixties 120 There'd be a couple of male clients, and he'd fill the rest of the table with high class pulls, men and women, two or three of each.
II. An act of pulling, and derived senses.
6.
a. An act of pulling; an instance of plucking, tugging, or wrenching out, or of drawing or dragging with force. Also figurative. at a pull: with one pull; (figurative) at a stroke, suddenly.
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the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > [noun] > pulling > a pull
pullc1390
draw1655
haul1670
shrug1742
rive1809
c1390 (c1350) Proprium Sanctorum in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1888) 81 314 (MED) Nou þis world at a pul Is plenteuous of prestes ful.
a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) v. 1829 (MED) Ther hasti deemyng so bestial is & dull, On blynde Baiard thei braiden at a pull.
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 416 Pul, or draȝte, tractus.
1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. cxxxvij There were two hangemen ready and eche of them a payre of tonges read hote: at the three first pulles he helde his peace.
1591 R. Southwell Marie Magdalens Funeral Teares f. 44 She beheld thy arms and legs, racked with violent pulles, thy hands and feete boared with nails.
1621 G. Markham Hungers Preuention xi. 120 When you shall see many birds playing about your Nets..be sure to stricke sure and suddenly, and you shall seldome take vnder, foure, sixe, eight, nay, sometimes a dozen at a pul.
1681 J. Flavell Method of Grace iv. 82 If the Lord draw not the Soul, and that with an omnipotent pull, it can never come from it self to Christ.
1740 S. Richardson Pamela I. 235 She..took hold of my Arm, so roughly, and gave me such a Pull, as made me squeal out.
1795 E. Parsons Myst. Warning I. x. 178 He rang the bell... After waiting..he was about to repeat the pull.
1875 T. H. Huxley & H. N. Martin Course Elem. Biol. (1883) viii. 77 There is a pull from above, and there is a push from below.
1883 J. Gilmour Among Mongols xiii. 146 With a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull all together, round goes the wheel.
a1918 W. Owen Coll. Poems (1963) 63 His fingers wake, and flutter; up the bed. His eyes come open with a pull of will.
1959 J. Prebble Buffalo Soldiers 12 He..saw one of the pack mules slide splay-legged at the sudden pull of its lead rope.
1999 Sea Angler May 18/3 Should the lead then become snagged, a steady pull will break the link allowing you to land the fish.
†b. A stab or tug of the heart, as caused by sudden fear, alarm, etc. Esp. in cold pull. Obsolete.
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1582 R. Parsons First Bk. Christian Exercise ii. i. 222 Thoughe he that stoode in daunger should..make shew of courage and innocencie, and sett a good face vpon the matter: yet the other might well thinke that his hart had manye a colde pull within hym.
1584 R. Scot Discouerie Witchcraft v. vii. 104 They [sc. witches] haue a verie cold pull of this place, which is the speciall peece of scripture alledged of them for their transportations.
1588 A. Munday tr. Palmerin D'Oliua sig. L3v The Queene..regarded him so earnestlye, as when she beheld him weepe, she imagined that one gaue a violent pull at her heart.
1629 Z. Boyd Last Battell Soule ii. 134 The sense of my sinnes giueth mine heart many a cold pull.
c. A strenuous walk or journey; a (steep) climb.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 4.
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the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > [noun] > climbing or scaling > exertion of
pull1792
1792 S. Gunning Anecd. Delborough Family III. xxxviii. 196 I hope Madam Edwin and Miss Emmy will take care and wrap themselves up, or the sharp air will nip them sadly; it is a long pull at this cold season.
1797 Lady H. Newdigate Let. 16 July in A. E. Newdigate-Newdegate Cheverels (1898) xiii. 186 We have a pretty good pull from ye Steyne to our abode which will keep us in good breath.
1841 J. L. Motley Let. 18 Nov. in Corr. (1889) I. iv. 70 The next night left..for Königsberg, a long pull of fifty-eight hours in a diligence.
1861 Symonds in Life (1895) I. iv. 179 A stiff pull it was that brought us to the top.
1872 H. I. Jenkinson Guide Eng. Lake District (1879) 209 A good steady pull must necessarily land the tourist on the summit.
1911 R. R. Marett Anthropol. ii. 41 It is not far, though a stiffish pull, to Ash.
1938 J. Marks Family of Barrett li. 639 Horses, heavily weighted, began the long pull up the slope of Cinnamon Hill.
2003 New Yorker 17 Feb. 152/1 We made another long pull, over Manastash Ridge.
d. The force exerted in pulling or drawing; pulling power (irrespective of whether motion takes place); traction, strain; the force of attraction, as exerted by gravity, magnetism, etc.Sometimes paired or contrasted with push: cf. push n.2 2c.
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the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > [noun] > pulling
drawingc1300
draughta1398
pullinga1425
draggingc1440
halingc1440
lugging?a1500
attraction1578
toilingc1600
trainage1611
hale1615
traction1615
hauling1626
trail1674
tracting1780
haulage1826
pull1833
drawal1936
the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > [noun] > pulling > force
strain1602
pull1833
1833 Penny Cycl. I. 505/1 If the stock [of an anchor] were very short, the pull of the cable would tend..to drag the end of the stock along the bottom.
1837 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. I. ii. i. 93 We may have pressure without motion, or dead pull.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps ii. xvii. 319 The sides of the glacier are acted upon by an oblique pull towards the centre.
1900 Engin. Mag. 19 745/1 The amount of this magnetic pull may be very considerable.
1968 P. Warner Sieges of Middle Ages ii. 39 To draw a longbow required a pull of 70 lbs., hence the archer needed strength and constant practice.
1976 J. Lukasiewicz Railway Game ix. 64 Electric traction is basically superior to diesel because its function is merely to convert electrical energy into mechanical pull (by means of an electric motor).
1994 Sci. News 10 Sept. 165/2 Neap tides occur when the orbital arrangement weakens the pull on Earth's oceans.
e. Chiefly North American. An act requiring the prolonged exertion of effort; a struggle, a ‘slog’.
ΚΠ
1857 ‘G. Eliot’ Amos Barton vi, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Feb. 161/2 Well,..the poor fellow must have a hard pull to get along, with his small income and large family.
1875 Wellsboro (Pa.) Agitator 20 July I've hired her since and paid her good wages; but it's been a tough pull for a woman, I tell you.
1926 Olean (N.Y.) Evening Times 1 Feb. 10/7 ‘How's the law business..?’ ‘Fair, thanks, Mr. Rand. It's quite a pull getting started but I suppose I oughtn't to complain.’
1932 Extension Mag. Feb. 17/3 It's going to be a long pull for you, Linnie, to put her through school, and get her started at something.
1973 R. B. Taylor Sweatshops in Sun 4 They never saved their money, nor settled in for that long, hard pull needed to make something of themselves.
2005 R. Horsfall Dancing on Thorns ix. 132 She didn't mean those things she said last night. That pas de deux at such short notice was a really tough pull for her.
f. colloquial (chiefly Australian and New Zealand). to take a pull (at or on oneself): to pull oneself together; to get a grip on oneself; (also) to stop or check oneself, to desist.
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the mind > emotion > calmness > become composed or calm [verb (intransitive)] > recover composure
to pull, shake oneself togethera1400
to return to oneself?1566
recollect1587
breathea1616
collect1631
recover1648
to take a pull (at or on oneself)1890
1890 A. Barrère & C. G. Leland Dict. Slang II. 155/2 Pull (society): to take a pull means to stop, check, put an end to.
1891 B. H. Boake Where Dead Men Lie (1897) 117 Don't you fancy it's time to take A pull on yourself—put your foot on the brake?
1911 N.Z. Truth 7 Jan. 4 On again, then through Napier... When I took a pull I was by this time heartily sick of the game, and made up my mind to give it best, and came into Hastings.
1922 J. Galsworthy Family Man iii. ii. 105 Take a pull, old man! Have a hot bath and go to bed.
1942 E. Waugh Put out More Flags iii. 177 Suddenly she found herself weeping in earnest. Then she took a pull at herself. This wouldn't do at all.
1953 M. C. Scott Breakfast at Six xxiv. 202 She may be a wonderful friend, but she'll land you in gaol yet. For heaven's sake, take a pull.
1987 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 6 June Take a pull on yourself and face the facts.
g. Originally and chiefly North American. A contest in which horses, tractors, etc., compete to pull the heaviest load over the greatest distance, or over a set distance in the shortest time. Usually with modifying word, as horse pull, tractor pull, etc.
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1960 Lima (Ohio) News 11 July 5 (caption) Robert Fry's big heavyweight team of geldings strain on a load of several thousand pounds as they warm up for the McGuffey horse pull next Saturday.
1976 Time 27 Sept. 39/2 Tractor ‘pulls,’ in which contestants vie in hauling 30,000-lb. loads over a 300-ft. course.
1978 Associated Press Newswire (Nexis) 27 Nov. They're farm tractors modified for use in ‘pulls,’ rural America's answer to the city drag race.
1991 R. Krueger et al. This Land of Ours v. 183/1 It could play host to a plethora of other events, everything from international soccer to tractor pulls to Super-Cross motorcycle racing.
1999 D. Cruise & A. Griffiths Working the Land iii. 150 His beloved facility is about to be turned over to antique shows and truck pulls.
2006 Lindsay (Ont.) Daily Post (Nexis) 25 Sept. a1 His D-21 Allis-Chalmers tractor, which he uses at pulls across Ontario.
7.
a. Originally: †a turn or bout of pulling or grappling with another person, in wrestling or some other kind of struggle or fight (obsolete). Later: (in extended use) a tussle, a set-to; an attack, a bout (of illness, etc.). Now chiefly Welsh English.In early use esp. in †to stand (also wrestle) a pull.
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society > society and the community > dissent > contention or strife > [noun] > an act or instance of
flitec1000
strifea1225
wara1300
pulla1400
lakec1420
contenta1450
stour?c1450
contentiona1500
pingle1543
agony1555
feudc1565
combat1567
skirmish1576
grapple1604
counter-scuffle1628
scuffle1641
agon1649
tug1660
tug of war1677
risse1684
struggle1692
palaver1707
hash1789
warsle1792
scrabble1794
set-to1794
go1823
bucklea1849
wrestle1850
tussle1857
head-to-head1884
scrum1905
battleground1931
shoot-out1953
mud-wrestle1986
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > wrestling > [noun] > bout
thro1303
wrestling1303
pulla1400
fall1597
wrestling pull1602
wrestle1670
wrestling-matcha1684
warslec1811
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) 3563 (MED) Haue a mon ben neuer so bolde Whenne þat he bicomeþ olde, vnwelde putt at him a pulle.
?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. 1805 Þe first pulle so hard was sette þat þer brestes togidere mette.
c1425 (c1400) Laud Troy-bk. 7996 (MED) So were the Troiens sore adred, For thei of Grece were so strongful, That thei vnnethe stode hem a pul.
a1450 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Harl. 4866) (1897) 5232 Þer-with þis land hath wrastled many a pul.
a1500 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 15th Cent. (1939) 257 (MED) Thy[n]k þou may noght stand a pull, qwen dede þe wil asayll.
1568 O Wrechit Man in W. T. Ritchie Bannatyne MS (1928) II. 192 Aganis his dynt thow may not stand ane pow.
1588 F. Drake in W. B. Scoones Four Cent. Eng. Lett. (1880) 32 We..mynd with the Grace of God, to wressell a poull with him.
1747 S. Richardson Clarissa II. xxxiv. 234 We have just now had another pull. Upon my word, she is excessively..unpersuadeable.
1889 S. O. Jewett Let. 5 May (1967) (Electronic ed.) I have had a very hard pull of illness and today I went out for the first time for a little drive.
1904 S. O. Jewett Let. 14 Dec. (1967) (Electronic ed.) This long pull of illness makes one feel a little like being dead!
1974 D. Parry-Jones in National Library Wales Jrnl. 18 431 I am glad the old word pwl is still in the land: ‘He had a nasty pull about a month ago.’ A pull of coughing (pwl o beswch).
1985 J. Edwards ‘Talk Tidy’ 32 Pull, a bout of, as in ‘This morning again, he had another nasty pull of coughing.’
b. A single effort likened to an act of pulling; an attempt, a turn, a go. Now rare.
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the world > action or operation > doing > [noun] > spell or bout of action
turnc1230
heatc1380
touch1481
pluck?1499
push?1560
bout1575
yoking1594
pull1667
tirl1718
innings1772
go1784
gamble1785
pop1839
run1864
gang1879
inning1885
shot1939
1667 S. Pepys Diary 29 July (1974) VIII. 441 This vexed me, but I resolve to bring it before the Duke and try a pull for it.
1803 M. Charlton Wife & Mistress (ed. 2) II. 244 It's of no use my trying to get in more than a word at a pull,..he would only stop me twenty times.
1871 ‘M. Legrand’ Cambr. Freshman 54 The opportunity both desired of having the first ‘pull’ at their new master.
1900 Child-study Monthly Sept. 119 I think he ought to have a pull At honest work a spell; He ought to have a bicycle And punching bag as well.
8.
a. A long or deep draught of drink; the act of taking a drink from a bottle, flask, etc.
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the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > [noun] > a drink of > large drink
pulla1500
rousea1593
load1594
carouse1599
elbow-healtha1627
skinful1788
swag1819
nor'-wester1835
long beer1892
snootful1918
a1500 (?a1375) Hermit & Outlaw (BL Add. 22577) in Englische Studien (1890) 14 175 (MED) The wenche fyllyd a dyssch stofull And bade the outlawe drynke a pull.
1575 W. Stevenson Gammer Gurtons Nedle v. ii. sig. Eiiiv And when ye meete at one pot, he shall haue the first pull.
a1668 J. Renwick Choice Coll. Serm. (1776) 135 He giveth them the first of the cup..His people get an easy pull of it.
1707 J. Stevens tr. F. de Quevedo Comical Wks. 564 He swallowed down both..at two or three pulls.
1727 P. Longueville Hermit 74 He calls for a Quart, and bids the Child take a hearty Pull.
1819 W. Scott Legend of Montrose in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. IV. 92 The Captain,..having already dispatched a huge piece of roasted kid, was now taking a pull at the wine-flask.
1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting ix. 377 The oxen..seemed to enjoy, not a little, a vigorous pull of good rain water.
1867 S. W. Baker Nile Tributaries (1872) iv. 61 A long and deep pull at the water-skin.
1966 C. Ekwensi Lokotown 34 ‘My only son!’ Nwuke gurgled, between long pulls at the gourd. ‘My boy, Willi!’
1993 P. Ouellette Deus Machine xxv. 381 Webber kept taking pulls off a silver flask and neglected to offer Counterpoint a drink.
b. An act of inhaling smoke from a pipe, cigarette, etc. Cf. draw n. 14a(a), drag n. 7f.
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the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > tobacco > smoking > [noun] > a smoke or inhalation
whiff1600
quiff1617
draught1621
puffing1675
draw1823
shoch1831
pull1841
blow1855
reek1876
drag1914
inhale1934
1841 ‘C. Selby’ & C. Melville Barnaby Rudge i. i. 7 (stage direct.) He takes a pull at his pipe.
1903 T.P.'s Weekly 6 Nov. 724/2 After a dozen meditative pulls of his pipe, Harry proceeded.
1953 J. Wain Hurry on Down 99 Bunder's eyes narrowed a little, and he took a pull at his cigarette.
1983 G. Lord Tooth & Claw ix. 66 ‘Jeez,’ he continued after a long pull on his smoke.
2005 J. Rabb Rosa 270 Fichte tried an awkward pull on his cigarette and began to nod his head quickly.
9. In various technical and specialist senses.
a. Printing. An act of pulling of the bar of a hand-press, thereby bringing the ink into contact with the paper to create a pull (sense 3). Also: the amount of pressure applied with such a pull. Now rare except as a contextual use of sense 6a.† forme of one pull n. Obsolete a forme that needs only one pull of the bar to make a complete impression.
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society > communication > printing > specific methods or processes > [noun] > pull of hand-press
pull1683
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 334 A Pull of the same strength upon the same Form, with the same Beating, and with the same Blankets, &c. will give the same Colour and Impression.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. Dict. 393 When a Form of one Pull comes to the Press.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. iii. 124/2 Short pull, is also called an hard pull, because it is suddenly performed, and the Form quickly feels the force of the Spindle.
1787 Smith's Printer's Gram. (new ed.) 328 That which causes a Soft Pull is putting in pieces of felt or pasteboard.
1787 Smith's Printer's Gram. (new ed.) 231 To give them [sc. proofs] a long and slow pull, that the Matter may come off clean and fair, so that every letter may appear full and plain.
c1826 Edinb. Encycl. (1830) XVII. 165/2 A great deal of time was lost in two separate pulls, so that it became highly desirable to have a press, the plattin of which was sufficiently large to print a whole sheet at one pull.
1872 J. Griffin Hist. Press of Maine 24 Each of these presses required two pulls of the bar on each side of a demy sheet, the platen covering but half of the form.
1904 J. Southward Mod. Printing III. (ed. 2) i. 6 In the bar handle is the screw stop, by means of which the length of the rod of the lever can be adjusted and its pressure, or the ‘pull’, varied.
b. An act of pulling at a horse's bridle in order to check or stop it; (Horse Racing) a check given to a horse in order to prevent it from winning a race. Cf. pull v. 27.
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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > [noun] > actions of rider
pull1705
roping1854
pulling1862
society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > [noun] > art of horse-riding > use of hands and legs > management by reins and bit > pulling
pull1705
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > [noun] > check dishonestly given to prevent winning
pull1856
1705 tr. G. Guillet de Saint-Georges Gentleman's Dict. i. at Mouth Your House has so fine a Mouth, that he stops if the Horse-man does but bend his Body backwards..without staying for the Pull or Check of the Bridle.
1740 H. Bracken Farriery Improv'd (ed. 2) II. vi. 123 He will run thro' at the Speed he begins with, or nearly so, because every Horse..requires to have a Pull.
1840 D. P. Blaine Encycl. Rural Sports §1258 The pull and hustle are effective bridle manipulations... The horse, which..is so free..a goer as on no occasion to require the pull and hustle, is the very one that will be benefited by it when running in.
1856 ‘Stonehenge’ Man. Brit. Rural Sports (ed. 2) ii. ii. ii. §2. 381/2 It is easier to go into the saddling enclosure and select a winner of a steeplechase, barring accidents and pulls.
1931 Amer. Speech 6 241 Several ‘pulls’ turned the teams to the left.
1985 Eventing Oct. 32/3 A sloping gate with a slightly downhill approach caused a number of falls due to riders not taking enough of a pull.
1997 Independent on Sunday 1 June (Business & Sport section) 18 (caption) A thousand pounds for a pull, is the shout, perhaps apocryphal, from the senior jockey, to which Macdonald coolly replies Too late, Mr. Scott, too late! before riding out to win by half a length.
†c. An act of drawing a card; (also) a card or group of cards drawn from the pack. Cf. pull v. 24. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > [noun] > actions or tactics > specific
discarding1592
facing1635
pull1715
lead1742
return1742
discard1778
solo1814
underplay1850
convention1862
force1862
showdown1870
unblocking1885
false-carding1923
passed hand1924
exit1934
reverse1936
loser-on-loser1947
1715 Lady M. W. Montagu Basset-table 52 The Knave won Sonica,..And, the next Pull, my Septleva I lose.
1718 A. de Moivre Doctr. Chances 40 Before the Banker has begun to draw the Cards, or after he has drawn any number of Couples, which are commonly called Pulls.
1726 Whole Art & Myst. of Mod. Gaming 53 Every Pull (meaning the Card drawn on each side) makes the Odds vary throughout the Pack.
1732 R. Seymour tr. J. Rizzetti 1st Pt. Court Gamester 12 If the Punt Card..possesses the first or second Place in any Pull, it falls to the Advantage of one or other of the Players.
d. An act of pulling at an oar or pair of oars; a spell or stint of rowing; a journey in a rowing boat.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > [noun] > a voyage > short voyage or trip > in specific type of craft
pull1793
row1832
steam1854
society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > [noun] > rowing > spell of rowing
row1767
pull1793
scull1886
society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > [noun] > rowing > a stroke of or pull at the oars
rowth1513
stroke1583
pull1793
1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §283 We had a hard pull with our oars to get on board the buss.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xxv. 266 Whalemen make the best boats' crews in the world for a long pull.
1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. I. vi. 99 The college eight was to go down..to the reaches..for a good training pull.
1892 Chambers's Jrnl. 2 Apr. 221/2 The oarsman gave a lusty pull.
1902 J. Scholz Sailor's Log Winter Cruise 22 Nov. (1903) The race-boat and the crew went out for a pull.
1934 M. McLuhan Let. 22 Oct. (1987) 31 I had a good pull on the river today and then went out in my whiff.
2003 Washington Post (Nexis) 17 Aug. p1 The four guides unship their oars and begin a long pull downriver.
e. An act of pulling the trigger of a firearm. Also: the action of a trigger considered in respect of the force required to pull it; the amount of force required for this.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > [noun] > pulling trigger
pull1823
pull-off1859
1823 J. F. Cooper Pioneers I. xvi. 230 I know that Billy Kirby is out, and means to have a pull of the trigger at that very turkey.
1888 H. R. Haggard Col. Quaritch xxxvi He had never known the pull of a pistol to be so heavy before.
1892 W. W. Greener Breech-loader 186 As the angles given are similar to the action when pulling the trigger with the finger, it is necessary to know this when trying the pulls of guns.
1913 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 22 Feb. 57/3 (advt.) Its ten quick shots—one to each trigger pull—give you a real arsenal of defense.
1945 C. E. Balleisen Princ. Firearms i. 2 Those in which a single pull of the trigger will fire only one shot..are termed semiautomatic.
1987 Shooting Life Spring 111/2 The actual pulls were quite crisp..and on the test gun these had been set at 3½ lbs. for both barrels.
f. Sport. The act of pulling the ball (see pull v. 31); a shot or stroke executed in this way.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > [noun] > types of stroke
long ball1744
nip1752
catch1816
no-hit1827
cut1833
short hit1833
draw1836
drive1836
square hit1837
skylarker1839
skyer1840
skyscraper1842
back-cut1845
bum1845
leg sweep1846
slog1846
square cut1850
driver1851
Harrow drive1851
leg slip1852
poke1853
snick1857
snorter1859
leg stroke1860
smite1861
on-drive1862
bump ball1864
rocketer1864
pull1865
grass trimmer1867
late cut1867
off-drive1867
spoon1871
push1873
push stroke1873
smack1875
Harrow drive1877
pull-stroke1880
leg glance1883
gallery-hit1884
boundary-stroke1887
glide1888
sweep1888
boundary1896
hook1896
leg glide1896
backstroke1897
flick1897
hook stroke1897
cover-drive1898
straight drive1898
square drive1900
edger1905
pull-drive1905
slash1906
placing stroke1907
push drive1912
block shot1915
if-shot1920
placing shot1921
cow-shot1922
mow1925
Chinese cut1937
haymaker1954
hoick1954
perhapser1954
air shot1956
steepler1959
mishook1961
swish1963
chop-
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > [noun] > types of shot or stroke
putta1754
like1790
drive1829
tee-shot1850
gobble1857
push shot1865
iron shot1870
push stroke1873
drive-off1884
slice1886
raker1888
foozle1890
hook1890
iron1890
top1890
sclaff1893
brassy shot1894
run1894
chip shot1899
chip1903
pull1903
skimmer1903
draw shot1904
brassy1906
pitch-and-run1908
windcheater1909
air shot1920
chip-in1921
explosion1924
downhiller1925
blast1927
driver1927
shank1927
socket1927
recovery1937
whiff1952
pinsplitter1961
comebacker1965
bump-and-run1981
1865 F. Lillywhite Guide to Cricketers 135 A fast run-getter, little too fond of a pull.
1892 Daily News 29 June 2/7 The veteran E. M. Grace brought off some most alarming pulls.
1903 H. H. Hilton in J. L. Low Concerning Golf 66 When the wind is coming from the player's right the presence of a slight pull adds many yards to the length of a drive.
1916 E. F. Benson David Blaize ii. 23 There was..his twenty-four runs in the last match..and in especial one gorgeous pull for four he had made.
1937 Times 3 Sept. 4/6 Another lovely day..with a strong westerly wind to emphasize anything in the nature of a slice or pull, produced golf that was packed with interest.
1994 Wisden Cricket Monthly June 28/2 After losing his deputy Alec Stewart, top-edging a pull to square leg..he found a willing ally in..Robin Smith.
g. An instance of having pulled a muscle or tendon.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > disorders affecting muscles > [noun] > sprain or strain
wrench1530
strain1558
sprain1601
wrest1616
wramp1669
spraining1673
rax1790
rick1813
wrick1831
twist1864
stave1900
pull1923
1923 Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram 19 Jan. 11/4 A muscle-pull just as he was swinging by the field with a dash that bore the earmarks of victory, upset his plans.
1961 K. Rawlinson Mod. Athletic Training x. 99 If the pull is in the tendon..we strap as in figure 34.
1978 G. A. Sheehan Running & Being xi. 157 Hamstring pulls..were thought to be due to the enormous number of footstrikes occurring per hour.
2004 R. Hennemuth Big Kids 188 He pulled his groin muscle... It had been a bad pull, and he had fretted to Caitlin about how long it usually took to heal.
10.
a. The power or capacity to pull (in a non-physical sense) instead of being pulled; the fact of possessing an advantage over another person or thing. Formerly esp. in to have a (or the) pull of (also over, on). Now rare except as in sense 10b. the pull of the table: (Gambling) the advantage possessed by a dealer or banker (now rare).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > [noun] > advantage over another
privilegec1390
advantagec1405
vantage1523
overmatch1542
odds1596
pull1781
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > have or get (someone) at a disadvantage
to have at avail1470
to catch, have, hold, take (one) at (a or the) vantagec1510
to gain of1548
to be to the forehand with1558
to have (take) on (in, at) the lurch1591
to get the sun of1598
to have (also get) a good hand against1600
to take (have, etc.) at a why-nota1612
to weather on or upon1707
to have the laugh on a person1767
to have a (or the) pull of (also over, on)1781
to get to windward of1783
to have the bulge on1841
to give points to1854
to get (have) the drop on1869
to hold over1872
to have an (or the) edge on1896
to get (also have) the goods on1903
to get (or have) the jump on1912
to have (got) by the balls1918
1781 J. Burgoyne Lord of Manor iii. i. 61 Oh, you'll have quite the pull of me in employment.
1819 J. H. Vaux New Vocab. Flash Lang. in Memoirs II. 198 Pull, an important advantage possessed by one party over another.
1844 Rep. Sel. Comm. Gaming 82 in Parl. Papers 1844 6 94 According to the fair calculation of the game, when fairly played, either pour or contre the man who plays, every time the dice are thrown a stake of 100 l. ought, by the fair pull of the table, to lose 100 l. at the end of about two hours and six minutes.
1854 W. M. Thackeray Newcomes (1855) II. iii. 24 That they may know what their chances are, and who naturally has the pull over them.
1890 T. H. Huxley in Life (1900) II. xv. 255 I think, on the whole, I have the pull of him.
1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer (1891) 131 There's no particular pull in it.
1905 Macmillan's Mag. Dec. 107 There were certain collective advantages known as ‘the pull of the table’, which made the running of a faro-bank a very profitable concern.
1907 H. Lawson in C. Mann Henry Lawson's Best Stories (1966) 142 ‘Well,’ said Tom Hall, ‘supposing we do take up a collection for him, he'd be too damned proud to take it.’ ‘But that's where we've got the pull on him,’ said Michell.
1931 P. G. Wodehouse Let. 12 Apr. in Yours, Plum (1990) ii. 80 She wrote a story and sent it in to the American Magazine without any name on it, so that it got no pull from the fact that I am writing for the American.
1933 E. Philpotts Captain's Curio xi. 253 That's where he thinks he's got the pull on us. He doesn't dream we have a surprise for him.
b. Horse Racing and Boxing. In full pull in the weights. A weight advantage.
ΚΠ
1870 Times 10 Nov. 10/4 Oxonian, with 17lb. allowed, had such a pull in the weights, that it was difficult to see how he could be beaten.
1933 Lincoln (Nebraska) Star 6 June 12/2 [He] balances the beam at 219 pounds, which will give him practically a 30-pound pull over Herr Maxie Schmeling.
1960 Nevada State Jrnl. 19 Jan. 9/4 Machen came into the ring a beefy 199 pounds... Folley weighed 194, which was a switch from their last encounter, when Folley enjoyed a five-pound pull in the weights.
1986 Sporting Life Weekender 17 Apr. 3/2 Fountain Bells..has a 7lb pull for the three quarters of a length defeat she suffered..last week.
2004 Observer (Nexis) 26 Dec. (Sport section) 4 A 12lb pull should enable Lough Rynn to get closer to Duncliffe than the 11 lengths he was beaten by Robert Alner's seven-year-old.
c. Attractive power; allure, appeal; = draw n. 15b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > motivation > attraction, allurement, or enticement > [noun] > power or faculty of
allurement1548
alluringness1606
magnetism1650
allectation1656
invitingness1656
magneticness1663
winningness1727
seductiveness1815
pull1874
seduction1882
pulling power1899
1874 Hist., Ess., Orations Sixth Gen. Conf. Evangelical Alliance 458/2 The pull of this immense..system is so strenuous and enveloping that theological, philosophical, historical objections are evaded or overleaped by the yielding mind.
a1938 T. Wolfe Web & Rock (1939) 538 So strong had been the pull of this illusion, so central since his childhood to all his hopes, that now he had the sense that he himself..was broken, shattered.
1987 Times (Nexis) 3 Sept. (Arts section) It was a fascinating film which managed to convey how the pull of the sea was more to the Grimsby families than just a way of earning a living.
2006 Up Here (Yellowknife, N.W. Territories) Mar. 4/1 Although he's content amid the Rockies, the pull of bigger mountains led him to Washington State, Nepal and finally..the Yukon.
d. Chiefly colloquial (originally U.S.). Personal or private influence; the fact of being able to exert such influence.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > power > influence > [noun] > influence which can be used to one's advantage
leverage1858
pull1882
1882 National Police Gaz. (U.S.) 18 Nov. 2/3 We're not going to deny the devil nor go back on him in any way. He's got too big a pull in New York and in the world generally.
1889 R. Kipling in Pioneer Mail (Allahabad) 18 Dec. 781/2 They..spoke of ‘pulls’, the vending of votes, and so forth.
a1911 D. G. Phillips Susan Lenox (1917) II. vii. 185 He was caught, did a year on the Island before his ‘pull’ could get him out.
1937 F. P. Crozier Men I Killed vi. 109 Having been in France for so long and lacking the very necessary ‘pull’ in influential circles, we were unable to oust the family favourites at the War Office.
1959 V. Nabokov Let. 18 Jan. in Sel. Lett. (1989) 275 The Bollinger Foundations seems hopeless unless one has a formidable ‘pull’.
1978 J. Krantz Scruples ii. 57 His future in the giant corporation was assured in the long run through family pull.
2000 R. Green & M. Burgess Full Leather Jacket (HBO TV shooting script) 6 in Sopranos 2nd Ser. (O.E.D. Archive) It's all pull, Tony. Colleges are overcrowded... Grades and great SAT scores aren't enough anymore.
11. British slang. The action or an act of attempting to pick up a partner, esp. for sex; on the pull: intending or hoping to attract a partner, esp. for sex. Cf. pull v. 12a.
ΚΠ
1972 D. Clement & I. La Frenais Whatever happened to Likely Lads? (B.B.C. TV camera script) Episode 10. 26 Bob: No! I am not on the pull. Those days are over.
1973 M. Amis Rachel Papers 33 A mental chant, timor mortis conturbat me, and I began on my clumsiest pull ever.
1988 Jackie 2 Apr. 32/1 Poor Dave, on the pull, as usual.
1995 Unique June 13/2 I think it's promising because..she's just with a (female) friend, so she's obviously on the pull.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

† pulln.2

Forms: late Middle English pulle, 1500s polle, 1600s pull.
Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymons: French pulle, poule.
Etymology: < Anglo-Norman pulle, poule young of any animal, and Middle French, French poule hen (13th cent. in Old French as polle ), wild or domestic fowl (1530), the female of various (chiefly domestic) fowl (1542) < post-classical Latin pulla (12th cent.; c1380, 1404 in British sources), feminine form corresponding to classical Latin pullus young of any animal, young horse, foal, young domestic fowl, chicken, pullet, ultimately < the same Indo-European base as foal n. Compare pullet n.
Obsolete.
A young bird.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > young bird > [noun]
birdOE
chicka1398
chickena1398
brancher?a1400
pulla1500
birdling1611
puler1611
pullus1653
squeaker1654
birdeen1829
chicklet1836
baby bird1841
chirpling1888
a1500 (?c1425) Speculum Sacerdotale (1936) 199 I am noȝt like to bryddes of heuene, for they haue pulles and fruyte of hem, ne to bestes of the erþe, for they engendreþ and bryngeþ forþ fruyte.

Compounds

† pull-fowl n. Obsolete a domestic fowl; (in plural) poultry.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > genus Gallus (domestic fowl) > [noun] > member of (fowl)
chickenOE
chicka1398
fowla1586
biddya1616
chuck1615
pull-fowla1688
chucky1724
dunghill1753
dunghill fowl1796
jungle-fowl1824
chook1888
gump1914
a1688 J. Wallace Descr. Orkney (1693) 16 Here is plenty both of wild and tame Fowls, Pull-Fowls, Hens, Dukes, Goose, &c.
† pull-bill n. Obsolete a list of the poultry kept by a particular household.
ΚΠ
1604 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (1790) 312 The giveing of allowance of all the Poultry in the Pull-Rowles, Pull-Bills..and other particular Breivements of the Household.
† pull-roll n. Obsolete = pull-bill n.
ΚΠ
1604 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (1790) 312 The giveing of allowance of all the Poultry in the Pull-Rowles, Pull-Bills..and other particular Breivements of the Household.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online December 2020).

pullv.

Brit. /pʊl/, U.S. /pʊl/
Forms: Old English pullian, Middle English powle, Middle English pule, Middle English pullyn, Middle English pyll, Middle English–1500s polle, Middle English–1500s poule, Middle English–1600s pul, Middle English–1600s pulle, Middle English– pull, 1500s polde (past tense), 1500s pool, 1500s poull, 1500s puyll; English regional 1700s pow (Cumberland), 1700s– poo (chiefly northern), 1800s pou (Cumberland), 1800s– pa'ad (Suffolk, past participle), 1800s– pool (northern and west midlands), 1800s– pu' (Cheshire); Scottish pre-1700 pool, pre-1700 powle, pre-1700 pul, pre-1700 pule, pre-1700 pulle, pre-1700 puy, pre-1700 pwe, pre-1700 pwl, pre-1700 1700s–1800s pow, pre-1700 1700s– pou, pre-1700 1700s– pull, 1700s– pu', 1900s– poo, 1900s– puen (present participle); also Irish English (northern) 1900s– poo, 1900s– pou, 1900s– pu'. N.E.D. (1909) also records a form 1800s poogh (Scottish and English regional (northern)).
Origin: Of uncertain origin.
Etymology: Origin uncertain. Probably related (although the precise nature of the relationship is unclear) to West Frisian pûlje , puolje , East Frisian (Saterland) puulje , North Frisian püle , all in sense ‘to shell (peas, etc.), to husk’, Middle Dutch pōlen to shell (peas, etc.), to husk (Dutch peulen , Dutch regional polen ), Dutch regional (southern) pullen to pluck, pull, to finger, poke around, (Groningen) puulṇ to finger, pick at, to shell (peas, etc.), Middle Low German pūlen to pluck, pull, to finger, to scrabble, rummage (German regional (Low German) pulen , puhlen to pluck, to poke around, to shell (peas, etc.), to husk, to beat (a person)), Icelandic púla (17th cent.) to work hard, toil, (obsolete) to push, thrust, (obsolete) to have sexual intercourse with, Faroese púla to cause (a person) difficulty or trouble, Swedish regional pula (17th cent.) to throw, to push, thrust, to have sexual intercourse with, påla (18th cent.) to work hard, toil, Danish pule , Danish regional (Jutland) puul , both in sense ‘to have sexual intercourse with’, and also (from a variant of the same base with suffix causing i-mutation) Old Frisian pēla to toil, work hard (West Frisian piele to tinker, fiddle, potter); further etymology uncertain: perhaps ultimately < the same Germanic base as boil n.1; compare pulls n.1In sense 17a perhaps influenced by Dutch pullen (1598), German regional (Low German: East Friesland, Mecklenburg) püllen, both in sense ‘to drink (esp. from a jug or bottle), to tipple’, respectively < Middle Dutch pulle jug, stone bottle (Dutch pul ), and German regional (Low German: Mecklenburg, Brandenburg) Pulle , (Low German: East Friesland) Pülle jug, stone bottle ( > German Pulle bottle (18th cent.)), respectively aphetic < Middle Dutch apulle ampoule n. and Middle Low German appulle ampoule n. In Old English the transitive prefixed form apullian to pull or tear off (hair) (compare sense 3a and also to pull off 1a at Phrasal verbs) is also attested (compare a- prefix1 ):OE tr. Medicina de Quadrupedibus (Hatton) (O.E.D. transcript) x. 264 Wið wiðerweard hær onweg to adonne, gif þu nimest wulfes mearh and smyrast mid hraðe þa stowe þe þa hær beoð of apullod [OE Vitell. awullud], ne geþafað seo smyrung þæt hi eft wexen.
I. To pluck, take away by plucking, extract, and related senses.
1.
a. transitive. To pluck the feathers from (a bird); †to strip the wool or fur from (a sheep or animal skin), to fleece (obsolete). Now rare (chiefly English regional in later use).to pull a crow with (a person): see crow n.1 3b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation for table or cooking > preparation of fowls > prepare fowls [verb (transitive)] > pluck feathers
pullc1350
defeather1883
society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with skins > work with skins [verb (transitive)] > clean hide > remove hair
pull1550
hair1802
grain1841
unhair1845
slate1885
fine-hair1891
OE Prognostics (Tiber.) in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1916) 134 292 Gif him þince þæt he sceap pullige, ne bið þæt god.
c1350 Nominale (Cambr. Ee.4.20) in Trans. Philol. Soc. (1906) 11* Pynduth a gray gose..And pulluth [Fr. deplume] a coppid larke.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) Prol. 400 (MED) What Schep that is ful of wulle, Upon his back thei [sc. the shepherds] toose and pulle.
?c1425 Recipe in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (Arun. 334) (1790) 443 (MED) Take an olde cok and pull hym.
c1450 in T. Austin Two 15th-cent. Cookery-bks. (1888) 9 Take smale byrdys, an pulle hem an drawe hem clene.
a1500 Piers of Fulham (James) in W. C. Hazlitt Remains Early Pop. Poetry Eng. (1866) II. 10 (MED) Thy offes wyll serue me at the fulle, To helpe to ete hem, rooste, or pulle.
1550 in W. Cramond Rec. Elgin (1903) I. 104 That na persoune..pull woll skynnes in tyme cuming.
1574 J. Baret Aluearie P 762 To pull or plucke the geese. Deplumare anseres.
1578–9 Proclam. Q. Eliz. 28 Feb. From Shroue Tuesday..vntill the last day of June..no maner of person or persons..shall pull or clippe, or cause to be pulled or clipped, any maner of wooll fell.
1605 D. Murray in Early Burgh Organization (1924) I. 489 Fremen and fremens wyfis sall have libertie to pull skinis.
1612 P. Lowe Disc. Whole Art Chyrurgerie (ed. 2) i. xiii. 35 Take an olde Cocke and pull him quicke, bruse him well, and kill him.
1630 T. Dekker Second Pt. Honest Whore sig. F2 Does any Poulterers wife pull chickins aliue?
1727 P. Longueville Hermit 17 One cast the Animal, and the other two pull'd the Fowls.
1786 G. M. A. Baretti Diccionario Español e Ingles I. 485/1 Pelar, to pull off the hair, to make bald, to pull a fowl.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor vii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. I. 185 If I had the hen, she's to pu', and to draw.
1851 Beck's Florist 19 I'd pull a lot of sparrows, or maybe some blackbirds and thrushes, and then cut 'em down the back, and fill their bodies full of bread.
1871 J. Richardson Cummerland Talk 83 I wad rayder poo a duzzen geese nor ya hare.
1948 M. Carbery & E. Grey Herts. Heritage 124 Pull, to pluck.
†b. transitive. figurative and in figurative context. To strip (a person) of possessions or money; to despoil, rob, swindle. Cf. pluck v. 6. Obsolete. to pull a finch (also pigeon, plover, etc.): to fleece or swindle a foolish or unsuspecting person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > robbery > spoliation or depredation > despoil or prey upon [verb (transitive)]
reaveOE
stripa1225
pill?c1225
robc1225
peela1250
despoil1297
raimc1300
spoilc1330
spoila1340
to pull a finch (also pigeon, plover, etc.)c1387
despoil1393
preya1400
spoila1400
spulyiea1400
unspoila1400
riflec1400
poll1490
to pill and poll1528
to poll and pill1528
exspoila1530
pilyie1539
devour?1542
plume1571
rive1572
bepill1574
fleece1575
to prey over1576
pread1577
disvaledge1598
despoliate1607
to make spoil of1613
expilate1624
to peel and poll1641
depredate1651
violatea1657
disvalise1672
to pick feathers off (a person)1677
to make stroy of1682
spoliate1699
pilfer1714
snabble1725
rump1815
vampire1832
sweat1847
ploat1855
vampirize1888
c1387–95 G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. 652 Ful pryuely a fynch eek koude he pulle.
a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 5984 If I may grype a riche man, I shal so pulle hym..That he shal..Lese all his markis.
c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) ii. 126 Ȝe..plucked and pulled hem [sc. deer, i.e. common people] anon to þe skynnes.
a1500 Eng. Conquest Ireland (Rawl.) (1896) 145 (MED) Thay Sparid and fikyllid wyth the sterne, and toke and Pullid the meke.
a1525 (c1448) R. Holland Bk. Howlat l. 972 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 125 Ȝe princis..That pullis ye pure ay.
1589 ‘Pasquill of England’ Returne of Pasquill sig. Dij The same King Lewes..vrged with extreame necessitie..beganne at the last, to pull the Church himselfe.
1627 W. Hawkins Apollo Shroving ii. iv. 33 Hee's a yong fat gosling to pull.
1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre iv. ii. 54 in Wks. II Was there euer greene Plouer so pull'd!
1639 S. Du Verger tr. J.-P. Camus Admirable Events 146 They pull pigeons in gaming houses.
c. transitive. To trim or thin (a horse's mane or tail) by plucking.
ΚΠ
1790 ‘Odicurious’ Oddest of all Oddities 31 My Mare is in rough order, her mane wants pulling sadly.
1796 J. Lawrence Philos. & Pract. Treat. Horses I. vi. 308 A dray, or cart-horse, should be smooth trimmed about the head and ears, his mane pulled even, and reduced to a handsome length and thickness.
1892 E. Favenc in C. Taylor Tales of Austral Tropics (1997) 126 His mane and tail had been pulled, and to-day a saddle had been girthed on him.
1946 M. C. Self Horseman's Encycl. 269 Three-gaited saddlers..have their tails pulled leaving very little more than a plume at the end.
1987 Horse Internat. Mar. 54/2 Great interest was shown in methods of pulling manes and tails, and the appearance of many horses was improved during our stay.
d. transitive. To trim (fur) of long hairs. Cf. fur-pulling at fur n.1 Compounds 3. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1886 Daily News 13 Dec. 5/5 A widow, working at fur pulling.]
1899 M. Wilson in J. E. Hand Good Citizenship 207 The mother, with her baby on her knee, industriously hemming hand-kerchiefs, or creasing collars, or pulling fur.
1902 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 15 Feb. 377/1 The fur..is then ‘pulled’—that is, the long hairs or ‘kemps’ are removed with a curved knife, and sold to upholsterers.
2.
a. transitive. To pluck or uproot from the ground (a root vegetable, crop, etc.). Cf. to pull up 1 at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > picking or gathering > pick or gather [verb (transitive)]
pullc1350
cropc1450
tuck1625
pug1717
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > picking or gathering > pick or gather [verb (transitive)] > lift or pluck root crops
pullc1350
lift1844
c1350 Nominale (Cambr. Ee.4.20) in Trans. Philol. Soc. (1906) 9* Homme en gardeyn arace nauet, M[an]. in the ȝerde pullith nepus.
1461 Extracts Rec. in W. Chambers Charters Burgh Peebles (1872) 139 The nychtburris..sal haf fredom..to cast turris and pwl hedder.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xlixv Howe it [sc. flax] shuld be sowen weeded, pulled, repeyled, watred, wasshen, dried, beaten.
1579 Acts. Parl. Scotl. (1814) III. 145/2 Quhateuer persone..pullis or cuttis hanyt brwme.
1614 S. Purchas Pilgrimage (ed. 2) v. xii. 507 The herbe is..sowne as other herbs, in due time pulled and dried.
1669 Hist. Sir Eger 42 His armes about him could he cast, he pulled herbes and rootes fast.
1795 Brit. Champion v. 63 Those boys help their father to pull turnips, and their mother to spin!
1810 A. Cunningham et al. Remains Nithsdale & Galloway Song 148 We'll pu' a' his dibbled leeks.
1846 Mr. Boxall in J. Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4) II. 345 Their tops being of a darker green and stronger, which continued..until they [sc. turnips] were pulled.
1923 W. Austral. Govt. Gaz. 30 Oct. 2096/1 The main trunk of the tree shall not be severed until the tree is pulled.
1941 B. Robertson I saw Eng. vii. 83 We pulled weeds in a potato patch belonging to Paddy.
1948 G. D. H. Bell Cultivated Plants Farm xiii. 112 (plate 24) The crop is usually pulled and special machines have been designed for the purpose.
1993 M. Russell Chief (Anglia TV shooting script) (O.E.D. Archive) 4th Ser. Episode 10. 4 The workers in the fields, bent double, their feet, legs and hands caked in mud as they pull vegetables.
b. transitive. To pluck, gather, or pick (fruit, flowers, etc.) from the plants, trees, or bushes on which they grow. Now chiefly Scottish, English regional, and U.S. regional.
ΚΠ
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Jer. xxxi. 5 Plaunten shul plaunteres, & for to tyme come þei shul not pulle grapis [a1425 L.V. schulen not gadere grapis; L. non vindemiabunt].
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 405 Plukkyn, or pulle frute, vellico.
a1450 (c1410) H. Lovelich Hist. Holy Grail xliii. 398 (MED) To wheche Roser men gon ful faste, the flowres to pullen In gret hast.
c1450 (c1350) Alexander & Dindimus (Bodl.) (1929) 128 (MED) A bold kniht..to a bow stirte, Þe sote-saverede [= sweet-savouring] frut sone to pulle.
1622 W. Dunbar Poems (Reidpeth) (1998) I. 219 [Ane ald ȝald auer, Schott furth..to] pull [the cleuer].
1656 W. Drummond Poems 172 Nor doth the verdant Fruits the Gardener pull.
1685 J. Dryden tr. Horace Epode ii, in Sylvæ sig. K6v He joyes to pull the ripen'd Pear.
c1710 C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 107 Hopp yards where they were at work pulling hopps.
1724 A. Ramsay Royal Archers Shooting viii Haste to the garden then bedeen, The rose and laurel pow.
1794 Ld. Auckland Corr. (1862) III. 240 I pulled above 3000 peaches and nectarines.
1805 R. Parkinson Tour in Amer. 384 To pulling the corn.
1854 H. Miller My Schools & Schoolmasters vii. 130 We had delayed..until the better fruit had been pulled.
1896 D. S. Meldrum Grey Mantle 230 I promised Miss Sim the berries by eleven, and there's still three pints to pu', I reckon.
1913 A. Anderson Later Poems 31 I pu'd a daisy at my feet.
1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. 99/1 It's taam t'cooran berries wez pulled.
1991 Hist. Workshop Spring 261 (heading) Pull no more bines: an oral history of East London women hop pickers.
2004 Hull Daily Mail (Nexis) 17 Apr. 12 I was up a fruit tree pulling apples.
2005 South Bend (Indiana) Tribune (Nexis) 12 Aug. e1 The kids worked after school pulling cotton.
†c. transitive. To gather or collect (a naturally occurring substance) from its source. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > picking or gathering > pick or gather [verb (transitive)] > produce other than fruit or flowers
pull1585
a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) 23969 (MED) The tother hand ful sore pulles gold for trentals and for bulles.
1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay Nauigations Turkie i. iv. 3 b They pul from the said Sapins [sc. fir trees] great abundance of rosin.
d. intransitive. To admit of being picked or uprooted. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > picking or gathering > [verb (intransitive)] > gather fruit > admit of being gathered
pulla1642
a1642 H. Best Farming & Memorandum Bks. (1984) 60 They [sc. pease] pull the best when they are the most feltered togeather.
1774 W. Marshall Minutes Agric. 6 Sept. (1778) They [sc. beans] may not pull so easily in dry weather.
1943 Kingston (N.Y.) Daily Freeman 7 Aug. 2/6 Many farmers look upon this as a rainy day job because then the weeds pull more easily.
1990 J. Updike Rabbit at Rest iii. 421 Chickweed is a good weed..and pulls easily; it knows when the jig is up and comes willingly.
3.
a. transitive. To pluck or draw out (a feather, hair, etc.). Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > forcibly tear off or away
tear1297
aracec1315
arachec1315
ravisha1382
pullc1390
to draw offa1398
roota1398
ripa1400
to pull awayc1410
to rip upc1425
brit1578
arrest1593
to carry away1604
avulsea1765
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > extraction > extract [verb (transitive)] > pluck out
grubc1320
pullc1390
decerp1531
excerpta1552
decerpta1631
pluck1893
c1390 G. Chaucer Manciple's Tale 304 To the crowe he stirte..And pulled [v.r. puld] hise white fetheres euerichon.
a1425 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 208 Hir fedres were pulled, sche myght not fle.
c1489 W. Caxton tr. Four Sons of Aymon xxii. 491 For she scartched her face and pulled her heres from her hede for grete sorow.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy 8520 Andromoca..þe hore of hir hede heterly pullit.
1590 C. Marlowe Tamburlaine: 1st Pt. i. i That Tamburlaine That..as I hear, doth mean to pull my plumes.
1676 Forbes Baron Court Bk. in Publ. Sc. Hist. Soc. (1919) 2nd Ser. 19 308 They were pulleing and rugeing wthers haires.
1706 J. Stevens New Spanish Dict. i Desplumar, to pull Feathers.
1887 Perry (Iowa) Chief 29 Apr. This avoids idleness and prevents them [sc. hens] from pulling feathers or becoming too fat.
1954 Ames (Iowa) Daily Tribune 22 Nov. 5/3 Mama and the older girls had the task of pulling feathers, singeing and preparing the bird for the fire.
1990 New Eng. Jrnl. Med. 15 Feb. 471/1 Patients also ate their hair after pulling it (trichophagy).
1992 R. Keck & J. Langston in J. G. Dickson Wild Turkey: Biol. & Managem. iv. xxiii. 402 Pull the larger feathers with a pair of pliers, and pluck the rest by hand.
b. transitive. To extract (a tooth). Cf. draw v. 56b. like pulling teeth: extraordinarily difficult; with extraordinary difficulty.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > dentistry > practise dentistry [verb (transitive)] > extract tooth or teeth
draw?1530
pull1626
untooth1791
1626 First & Best Part Scoggins Iests (new ed.) 39 If you pull any of my neighbours teeth after such sort as you haue done.I will pull out all the teeth in your head.
1732 A. Monro Anat. Humane Bones (ed. 2) 15 In a violent Tooth-ach..Pain and Convulsion cease, upon pulling the Tooth affected.
1795 J. Latta Pract. Syst. Surg. II. xiv. 394 The best, indeed the only remedy, is to pull the tooth or teeth which stand in the way.
1826 U.S. Rev. & Lit. Gaz. Nov. 108 If a child is to take physic, the mother tells him she has something good to drink; if recusant, she says she will send for the doctor to cut off his ears, or pull his teeth.
1836 Knickerbocker Sept. 306 And for this service to the sons, what did I get from the sires? The pittance of a few dollars, which came like pulling so many teeth.
1854 E. E. Stuart Let. 3 Aug. in R. Stuart et al. Stuart Lett. (1961) II. 644 Kitty..had two teeth pulled, three or four plugged.
1883 Newark (Ohio) Daily Advocate 7 Nov. Isn't it like pulling teeth every morning to get 10 cents out of you to buy milk for the baby?
1915 R. Adair Pract. Oral Hygiene (ed. 2) i. 8 Dr. —— used to pull teeth, but he has got to talking so much about clean mouths that he is losing some of his trade.
1980 W. Golding Rites of Passage (1982) 143 To have a tooth pulled is less painful than to have the exquisite torturer left in.
2006 Men's Health Jan. 40 Finding time to get outdoors is like pulling teeth.
c. transitive. To remove (a cork) from a bottle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being open or not closed > open [verb (transitive)] > open by freeing of obstruction > by bung or plug
unbung1611
unstopple1611
unscrew1653
draw1727
uncork1727
unplug1765
unstopper1839
pull1855
1855 Harper's Mag. Mar. 478/2 The cork was hastily pulled, and the contents poured into the reptile's mouth.
1870 Punchinello 20 Aug. 331/2 I pulled the cork and filled all the glasses.
1905 Fort Wayne (Indiana) Sentinel 23 Aug. 10/4 The child..got hold of the bottle [of carbolic acid] and pulled the cork saturating her hands.
1963 M. Bourke-White Portrait of Myself iv. 60 Beme pulled the cork, and the champagne gushed to the ceiling.
2005 Wine Internat. Jan. 7/3 (advt.) Perfectly balanced wines that..are easy to drink from the moment you pull the cork.
4. transitive. slang. To snatch, steal, pinch. Cf. pluck v. 4a. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > steal [verb (transitive)]
pick?c1300
takec1300
fetch1377
bribec1405
usurpc1412
rapc1415
to rap and rendc1415
embezzle1495
lifta1529
pilfer1532
suffurate1542
convey?1545
mill1567
prig1567
strike1567
lag1573
shave1585
knave1601
twitch1607
cly1610
asport1621
pinch1632
snapa1639
nap1665
panyar1681
to carry off1684
to pick up1687
thievea1695
to gipsy away1696
bone1699
make1699
win1699
magg1762
snatch1766
to make off with1768
snavel1795
feck1809
shake1811
nail1819
geach1821
pull1821
to run off1821
smug1825
nick1826
abduct1831
swag1846
nobble1855
reef1859
snig1862
find1865
to pull off1865
cop1879
jump1879
slock1888
swipe1889
snag1895
rip1904
snitch1904
pole1906
glom1907
boost1912
hot-stuff1914
score1914
clifty1918
to knock off1919
snoop1924
heist1930
hoist1931
rabbit1943
to rip off1967
to have off1974
1821 Life D. Haggart (ed. 2) 63 I pulled a scout, and passed it to Graham.
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour I. 414/1 We lived by thieving, and I do still—by pulling flesh.
1888 G. Bidwell Forging his Chains 63 The most of us are no sooner out than we are ‘copped’, sometimes the very first time we try to ‘pull a swag’.
1905 Hackney & Kingsland Gaz. 15 Sept. 3/7 He said ‘Here comes a German with a red lot (gold chain, etc.). If you have heart, pull it.’
5. Originally U.S. †(a) intransitive. With on or upon. To fire a gun. Obsolete. (b) transitive. To draw (a gun or knife) on a person or thing; to pull out and aim (a gun) at. Also intransitive, and without construction.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > fire (a gun) [verb (transitive)] > shoot (a person or thing) > draw gun on
pull1841
1825 J. F. Cooper Lionel Lincoln I. xi. 175 Didn't I see him pull trigger on my own stature, three times within as many minutes!]
1841 J. F. Cooper Deerslayer I. iii. 54 I shall not pull upon a human mortal as steadily..as I pull upon a deer.
1853 Spirit of Times 10 Dec. 506/1 Jim thought it best to fire when these drew well together ‘in a bunch’—so we clapt up and pulled on them.
1855 N.-Y. Daily Times 26 Feb. 1/4 Turner then pulled his pistol, and exclaimed ‘Draw’.
1883 ‘M. Twain’ Life on Mississippi p. xxvi When they happened to meet, they pulled and begun.
1889 A. J. Kidd World's Verdict ii. 25 When a man pulls a gun on me I generally kill him or get downed.
1926 J. Black You can't Win (1927) xiii. 182 He would have ‘pulled’ on us.
1932 J. T. Farrell Young Lonigan i. 21 He had bashed the living moses out of that smoke who pulled a razor on him over in Carter Playground.
1972 B. Hannah Geronimo Rex (1998) 263 Then I pulled on him, the very first time I ever shot a weapon of any sort. I got him.
1984 P. Barker Blow Your House Down xvi. 109 You don't expect a knife being pulled, but it happens.
2002 J. L. Cochran Lawyer's Life 41 Someone pulled a gun on him, my brother grabbed it from him and just threw it away down the street.
6. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S. Military). to pull (one's) rank (also stripes, status, etc.): to employ one's superior status to obtain obedience, cooperation, or privilege; to make (unfair) use of one's seniority. Frequently with on.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > rank > [verb (transitive)] > employ superior status
to pull (one's) rank (also stripes, status, etc.)1892
1892 Scribner's Mag. Dec. 752/1 The Colonel was an aggressive martinet, and would not hesitate to pull his rank on a subordinate when that would strengthen his position.
1923 Amer. Legion Weekly 23 Feb. 18 Don't pull your rank on him, K.P. You were only a private yourself, once.
1926 Amer. Speech 2 62/2 Give him..officers who do not ‘pull rank’, and he is well content.
1949 Washington Post 1 May iii. 2 (headline) Navy varsity pulls rank on frosh crew.
1958 M. K. Joseph I'll soldier no More xiii. 242 Don't you pull your stripes on me, sarge.
1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 228 Teddy pulled seniority and they gave him his way.
1976 H. MacInnes Agent in Place xiv. 148 ‘What if he refuses to go with them?’ ‘They'll be senior men, they'll pull rank.’
2001 National Rev. (U.S.) (Nexis) 3 May For those who have [experience of combat], it's awfully tempting to pull status and say: ‘You've no right to judge these things. You can't imagine what it's like.’
7.
a. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). To say or do (something) with intent to deceive, or (in later use) for effect, to impress or shock, etc.; to tell (a joke); to play (a trick). Also with on.to pull a fast one: see fast one at fast adj. Phrases 3.
ΚΠ
1894 Lucky Bag (U.S. Naval Acad. Yearbk.) 67 Pull the sick list,..to get on the sick list when not ill.
1898 Landmark (Statesville, N. Carolina) 5 Aug. It had to be sterling silver, for if it wasn't they would weigh it and test it, and then pull the story in the next campaign that he sent Mrs. So and So a pewter spoon and said it was silver.
1910 Atlanta Constit. 14 Sept. 10/3 One of the ‘gods’ in the bleachers pulled one on Pitcher Juul while the latter was on the coaching line. ‘Hey, Juul,..you ought to spell your name with an “F”.’
1915 F. Froest & G. Dilnot Crime Club xii. 290 Don't pull any of that dope on me.
1928 Collier's 29 Dec. 25/3 He was forever ‘pulling’ impromptu stuff that made me laugh as riotously as the audiences.
1937 G. Heyer They found him Dead xiii. 260 Not that I think anyone would pull the same trick twice.
1957 H. Roosenburg Walls came tumbling Down ix. 208 Just be a little more careful about your company next time you pull a stunt like that.
1983 A. Tyler Slipping-down Life xii. 116 Drum's voice rose in the back room. ‘The hell you say. What you trying to pull, Zack?’
2004 Independent 28 Aug. (Review section) 17/1 The boy in front is the stunt guy, pulling wheelies and ‘burnouts’.
b. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). to pull a ——: to behave in a manner characteristic of or associated with (the person specified).
ΚΠ
1911 Washington Post 27 Apr. 8/4 Strunk pulled a Ty Cobb on Henry in the seventh, scoring from second on Collins' grounder to the first baseman.
1931 Technol. Rev. Nov. 67/1 To pull a Lindbergh means to do something heroic, but to go Lindbergh means to get the flying fever in a rather callow manner.
1935 P. G. Wodehouse Luck of Bodkins xiii. 133 He'll be much happier in the long run if he gets it into his bean that he can't pull a James Cagney on me every time he's a mite upset.
1994 Harrowsmith Mar. 49/1 Knowing the whereabouts of my adversary's lair, I could pull a Captain Hook and make him a little birthday cake laced with poison.
2004 E. Reid D.B. i. 44 Worried that he'd pull a Hendrix and choke on his own vomit, Fitch rolled him onto his side.
c. transitive. U.S. colloquial. To make (a foolish mistake), to perpetrate (a blunder).to pull a rock: see rock n.1 6g.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > an error, mistake > blunder [verb (intransitive)]
shail1528
blunder1711
floor1835
to make a bloomer1889
pull1913
to drop a brick1916
boob1935
to put up a black1939
goof1941
to screw up1942
to drop a bollock1948
to drop a clanger1948
to cock up1974
1913 Amer. Mag. Sept. 94/3 Got his signals mixed and pulled a boner.
1926 Scribner's Mag. Sept. 246/1 The Washington newspaper correspondents are the pick of the land, and their dinners are not the softest spots in the lives of the speakers. It is no place to pull a bloomer.
1967 Boston Sunday Globe 23 Apr. b41/1 The shabby methods used by construction workers, who have been known to pull some boners.
1996 San Franciso Chron. (Nexis) 15 Nov. d2 Then the Giants pull the blunder of the year in trading Matt Williams..for a handful of scrubs.
d. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). To commit (a crime, esp. a robbery).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > steal [verb (intransitive)] > commit a theft
pull1915
to turn a trick1926
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > steal [verb (passive)] > commit a theft
pull1915
society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > break the law [verb (intransitive)] > carry out criminal activities > commit a crime or an offence
commit1449
offend1560
pull1915
1915 Policeman's Monthly Dec. 17/3 He replied that he had often noticed just before they were going to ‘pull a job’ his partner was happy.
1937 Research Stud. State Coll. Washington Mar. 19 Some boys think its an honor..to say..that they pulled jobs with such and such gangsters.
1967 J. Morgan Involved 27 They used to graft together..they pulled one or two big capers.
1972 J. Wambaugh Blue Knight (1973) i. 28 A federal fugitive who..carried a gun and pulled stickups.
2002 National Post (Canada) 16 Aug. pm1/1 A band of adrenaline junkies he suspects is pulling bank heists to fund their endless summer.
8. colloquial.
a. transitive. U.S. To attain, achieve (a grade, score, etc.).
ΚΠ
c1896 Amherst College Olio (Class of 1898) 182 Say, what's your mark? I've pulled a four.
1924 P. Marks Plastic Age 112 With a little effort he could have ‘pulled’ an A.
1971 Red Bluff (Calif.) Daily News 6 July 3 (caption) Though yet to hit first place, he's consistently pulling honors for runner-up positions.
2003 Muscle & Fitness Jan. 74 Timea Majorova consistently pulled perfect scores in physique rounds when competing on the fitness circuit.
b. transitive. To earn (a specified income).Cf. senses to pull down 5 at Phrasal verbs, to pull in 1 at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > income, revenue, or profit > getting or making money > get or make money [verb (transitive)] > earn
earneOE
fangOE
i-earnOE
winc1175
getc1300
betravail1393
to knock out1873
to pull downa1902
to knock down1929
pull1937
1937 ‘M. Innes’ Hamlet, Revenge! ii. viii. 197 I'm twenty-two and pulling twelve pounds a week.
1965 C. Brown Manchild in Promised Land 315 Any..whore could pull at least two hundred dollars on Saturday night.
1970 G. Scott-Heron Vulture 144 I was going to stay with N'Bala and what the hell I was doing with the organization, pulling eighty dollars a week.
1999 F. Kellerman Jupiter's Bones 274 Still, he'd pull fifty, sixty bucks a day. Five days a week.
c. transitive. Of a pilot, aeroplane, etc.: to achieve an acceleration of (a stated number of g's) in flight, as when travelling in a curved path (cf. G n. 14). Also less precisely, as to pull g's.
ΚΠ
1949 Chicago Tribune 6 Sept. 2/1 They said they were making good air speeds of 670 miles an hour and pulling six ‘G’ loads on the turns.]
1952 Los Angeles Times 13 Apr. i. 40/3 If you pull a lot of Gs, you whip the turn all right, but you slow up, too.
1972 Close Air Support (U.S. Senate Comm. on Armed Services) 231 The Cheyenne also can fly at 150 knots and pull 2½ g's.
2000 P. Beaty Tuff xxi. 236 The foul language thrusts the audience back into their seats as if they were fighter pilots pulling g's in a steep climb.
9. U.S. slang.
a. transitive. To serve (a sentence or period of time) in prison.
ΚΠ
1923 Virginia Law Reg. 9 457 It was..‘a..shame he..had to pull fifteen years for that crime’.
1958 G. M. Sykes Society of Captives i. 9 If you can't pull the time, don't pull the crime.
1988 M. Bishop Unicorn Mountain (1989) xxi. 249 She'd pulled time in the slammer presided over by that lunkhead!
2001 Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.) (Nexis) 15 Jan. b3 If they relapse, they could pull 20 years for drug possession, forgery, grand larceny and other crimes.
b. transitive. Chiefly Military. To perform (a duty or assignment, esp. an onerous or unpleasant one); to draw or be assigned to (a task, group, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > duties > [verb (transitive)] > discharge a duty or office
officiate1615
serve1621
managea1627
to hold down1891
pull1941
1941 P. Kendall & ‘J. Viney’ Dict. Army & Navy Slang 11/1 To pull guard duty,..to do guard duty. For instance, ‘I've got to pull K.P.’
1941 Daily Times-News (Burlington, N. Carolina) 27 Nov. 14/4 I have to carry a pistol everywhere I go... But I don't have to pull guard or walk post.
1972 Times 13 Apr. 1/8 I feel that my life is more important than having to pull security on this place.
1987 Soldier of Fortune July 39/2 Such teams dot the border, where they pull shifts of 12 or 24 hours.
2003 J. Turpinseed Baghdad Express 86 Heinemann, the only other guy from Minneapolis to pull guard duty, was posted to the interior guard.
10. See also sense 16c.
a. transitive. Sport (originally and chiefly North American). To withdraw (a player) from a game. Also: to disqualify (a competitor).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > winning, losing, or scoring > win, lose, or score [verb (transitive)] > win > withdraw player
pull1930
society > leisure > sport > winning, losing, or scoring > win, lose, or score [verb (transitive)] > win > disqualify
pull1980
1930 Helena (Montana) Independent 19 July 7/1 The Kiwanis slaughtered him for four runs..before he was pulled and Herrin took the mound.
1980 Running Sept. 40/3 We saw..the sensational disqualification of joint leaders Bautista and..Anatoly Solomin. In fact, four of the leading eight at 5 km were later ‘pulled’.
2003 Fort Worth (Texas) Star Telegram (Nexis) 10 Nov. 8 d OU offensive coordinator Chuck Long pulled quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Jason White after the first half.
b. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). To withdraw from publication, circulation, or use; to cancel or revoke (a business deal, etc.); to recall or rescind (a document); to cease to operate or make use of.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > cancellation, revocation > annul, cancel, revoke [verb (transitive)]
fordoOE
allayOE
withdrawc1290
withclepe13..
again-callc1390
to call againc1390
repealc1390
revokec1400
unmakec1400
rive1415
annulc1425
abroge1427
uncommandc1430
discharge?a1439
retreatc1443
retract1501
cancela1513
abrogate?1520
dissolve1526
extinct1531
rescind1531
abrenounce1537
infringe1543
recall1565
unwrite1577
extinguish1590
exauctorate1593
relinquish1594
unact1594
to strike off1597
undecide1601
unpass1606
to take off1609
to draw back1610
reclaim1615
to put back1616
abrenunciate1618
unrip1622
supersedeate1641
to set off1642
unassure1643
unorder1648
to ask away1649
disdetermine1651
unbespeak1661
undecree1667
reassumea1675
off-break1702
circumduct1726
raise1837
resiliate1838
denounce1841
disorder1852
pull1937
the mind > possession > taking > seizing > seize [verb (transitive)]
gripea900
afangOE
to lay hands (or hand) on or upon (also in, to)OE
repeOE
atfonga1000
keepc1000
fang1016
kip1297
seize1338
to seize on or upon1399
to grip toc1400
rapc1415
to rap and rendc1415
comprise1423
forsetc1430
grip1488
to put (one's) hand(s) on (also in, to, unto, upon)1495
compass1509
to catch hold1520
hap1528
to lay hold (up)on, of1535
seisin?c1550
cly1567
scratch1582
attach1590
asseizea1593
grasp1642
to grasp at1677
collar1728
smuss1736
get1763
pin1768
grabble1796
bag1818
puckerow1843
nobble1877
jump1882
snaffle1902
snag1962
pull1967
society > law > legal document > [verb (transitive)] > issue officially > recall
pull1967
the mind > possession > loss > taking away > take away [verb (transitive)] > withdraw > withdraw from publication or circulation
pull1978
society > occupation and work > business affairs > [verb (transitive)] > cancel deal or transaction
pull1986
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > deal in stocks and shares [verb (transitive)] > specific operations
subscribe1618
to take up1655
to sell out1721
to take in1721
to take up1740
pool?1780
capitalize1797
put1814
feed1818
to vote (the) stock (or shares)1819
corner1836
to sell short1852
promote1853
recapitalize1856
refund1857
float1865
water1865
margin1870
unload1870
acquire1877
maintain1881
syndicate1882
scalp1886
pyramid1888
underwrite1889
oversubscribe1891
joint-stock1894
wash1895
write1908
mark1911
split1927
marry1931
stag1935
unwind1958
short1959
preplace1966
unitize1970
bed and breakfast1974
index-link1974
warehouse1977
daisy-chain1979
strip1981
greenmail1984
pull1986
1937 Sun (Baltimore) 22 May 18/3 We are pulling the fires under most of the boilers but leaving sufficient boilers to maintain steam to [etc.].
1967 Los Angeles Times 15 Jan. g4/4 Staughton Lynd of Yale made an unauthorized trip to North Vietnam in 1965, and the department pulled his passport.
1978 G. Bordman Amer. Musical Theatre ii. 96 Previous commitments forced it to be pulled when its initial booking ended.
1986 Times 11 Oct. 21/5 Some dealers were convinced the deal had been pulled at the last minute after a disagreement over the price.
2005 Gazette (Montreal) (Nexis) 12 Mar. a7 The Gazette has joined several other newspapers that have decided to pull any further Julie story ads.
c. transitive. Ice Hockey. To replace (the goalkeeper) with an additional attacking player, typically when a team is trailing in the closing minutes of a game.
ΚΠ
1931 N.Y. Times 27 Mar. 32/3 In a final desperate scoring attempt, he pulled his goalie out of the game and replaced him with a forward.]
1938 N.Y. Times 25 Mar. 22/2 The two minutes that remained saw the Americans do everything but pull their goalie in trying to score, but they were repulsed.
1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 5 Feb. 18/7 Marlboros pulled goalie Gerry McNamara and Obie O'Brien fired the puck into an empty net.
1996 Ice Hockey News Rev. 21 Dec. 19/3 ‘We were way overdue a bit of luck with the netminder pulled,’ claimed [the coach].., although keen to point out that it was not just luck that produced the goal.
2005 Washington Post 1 Dec. (Electronic ed.) Glenelg trailed 2-1 into the final minute before Atholton scored an empty-netter after Glenelg pulled the goalie for an extra skater.
11. transitive. Originally and chiefly U.S. To extract or retrieve (information, a file, etc.).
ΚΠ
1948 Investig. Disability Retirem. Syst. Armed Services (U.S. House Comm. Armed Services) 455 I am not able to go into the Air Surgeon's office and pull files, but, if necessary, I could pull any number of cases and show you where we overruled the field entirely.
1961 Daily Times-News (Burlington, N. Carolina) 18 Nov. b1/4 She has been ordered to pull the files of 23 Alamance County men and send the men to Fort Jackson, S.C.
1989 ‘C. Roman’ Foreplay xxii. 255 In minutes I have the [library] staff..pulling books that have information on him.
2006 Mansfield (Ohio) News Jrnl. (Nexis) 26 Mar. 8 a She'd gone through historical archives in the Sherman Room of the main library to pull information on black individuals who lived here.
12.
a. transitive. British slang. To pick up (a partner), esp. for sexual intercourse; to seduce. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > engage in sexual activity with [verb (transitive)] > have sexual intercourse with
mingeOE
haveOE
knowc1175
ofliec1275
to lie with (or by)a1300
knowledgec1300
meetc1330
beliea1350
yknowc1350
touchc1384
deala1387
dightc1386
usea1387
takec1390
commona1400
to meet witha1400
servea1400
occupy?a1475
engender1483
jangle1488
to be busy with1525
to come in1530
visitc1540
niggle1567
mow1568
to mix one's thigh with1593
do1594
grind1598
pepper1600
yark1600
tumble1603
to taste of1607
compressc1611
jumble1611
mix?1614
consort?1615
tastea1616
bumfiddle1630
ingressa1631
sheet1637
carnal1643
night-work1654
bump1669
bumble1680
frig?c1680
fuck1707
stick1707
screw1719
soil1722
to do over1730
shag1770
hump1785
subagitatec1830
diddle1879
to give (someone) onec1882
charver1889
fuckeec1890
plugc1890
dick1892
to make a baby1911
to know (a person) in the biblical sense1912
jazz1920
rock1922
yentz1924
roll1926
to make love1927
shtupa1934
to give (or get) a tumble1934
shack1935
bang1937
to have it off1937
rump1937
tom1949
to hop into bed (with)1951
ball1955
to make it1957
plank1958
score1960
naughty1961
pull1965
pleasurea1967
to have away1968
to have off1968
dork1970
shaft1970
bonk1975
knob1984
boink1985
fand-
1965 Sunday Express 25 July 17/2 As a young man I could never pull (pick up) any birds of my own class.
1973 E. Boyd & R. Parkes Dark Number vi. 69 Five years ago you did the big male-menopause bit, didn't you? Skulking off to Paris to prove you could still pull the birds.
1985 J. Sullivan Only Fools & Horses (1999) I. 4th Ser. Episode 6. 246 Rodney, use your loaf, you're never gonna pull a tart dressed up like Bertie Bassett.
1993 Bella 29 Sept. 40/1 ‘So you're a barman,’ she said with a wicked glint in her eyes. ‘I bet you don't have any trouble pulling.’
b. transitive. coarse slang (chiefly U.S.). To have sexual intercourse with. to pull a train: to be one of a number of people who have sexual intercourse with the same partner in quick succession (frequently with on); (also) to participate in sexual intercourse with a succession of partners.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > other types of sexual activity or intercourse > engage in other types of sexual activity or intercourse [verb (intransitive)] > with more than one partner
gang-shag1934
gang-bang1965
to pull a train1965
1965 C. Brown Manchild in Promised Land i. 15 They thought that I was one of the guys who had pulled a train on their sister in the park the summer before.
1965 C. Brown Manchild in Promised Land iv. 112 If you gon pull a bitch, you can'[t] get excited and let her know that you want that pussy so bad you about to go crazy.
1973 E. Bunker No Beast so Fierce 48 Why don't you pull her?..Joe and her are all over.
1973 P. L. Cave Speed Freaks viii. 77 ‘Wanna pull a train for the movie?’ Mucky asked Dodo, who was still unclothed. She shrugged resignedly.
2003 M. Monteilh Chocolate Ship 133 ‘Bo and Deshaun tried to pull a train on me last night,’ Yanni said with shame.
II. To drag or draw, esp. with force; to move or try to move by such action.
13.
a. transitive. To exert upon (something) a force which tends to draw, drag, or snatch it towards oneself, or away from its present position (whether or not movement takes place as a result); to drag or tug at.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > push and pull [verb (intransitive)] > pull
pullOE
tirea1300
drawc1300
halea1393
pluck?a1425
the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > push and pull [verb (transitive)] > pull > exert pulling force on or pull at
pullOE
beteec1275
tug13..
tucka1400
ruga1425
pug1575
haul1743
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > sheep-farming > sheep-shearing > shear sheep [verb (transitive)] > pluck wool
pullOE
roo1602
OE tr. Alexander's Let. to Aristotle (1995) §19. 236 Þær eac cwoman hreaþemys þa wæron in culefrena gelicnesse swa micle, & þa on ure ondwlitan sperdon & us pulledon.
c1450 (?c1425) St. Elizabeth of Spalbeck in Anglia (1885) 8 108 (MED) Þefes & mensleers..are pullyd and luggyd ful vyolently wiþ oþere mennes handes.
a1522 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) iii. Prol. 17 Wald God I had thar erys to pull.
1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay Nauigations Turkie ii. xxi. f. 58v After they [sc. the shampooers] haue well pulled and stretched your armes.
1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 330 Sat downe in his tent, all that day full of melancholie passions, sometimes violently pulling his hoarie beard and white locks.
1626 H. Parrot Cures for Itch sig. F3v Yet will not I (as others) call him mad, Nor pull his beard, nor vse him like a sot.
1655 J. Phillips Satyr against Hypocrites 18 One..doth pinch her cheek, one pulls her nose.
1746 P. Francis & W. Dunkin tr. Horace Satires i. ix. 145 I..pull his Renegado Sleeve, That he would grant me a Reprieve.
1782 Anna I. 49 Lavinia, impatient for him to be relieved, pulled his sleeve, and smiled in his face.
1822 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 29 June 3/2 The defendant..met the prosecutor in the street, where, after some altercation, he pulled his nose.
1839 C. Darwin in R. Fitzroy & C. Darwin Narr. Surv. Voy. H.M.S. Adventure & Beagle III. xix. 470 It [sc. a lizard]..stared me in the face, as much as to say, ‘What made you pull my tail?’
1856 G. J. Whyte-Melville Kate Coventry iii Gertrude..brushing away..at my back hair, and pulling it unnecessarily hard.
1871 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. i. 6 The sun and the earth mutually pull each other.
1928 P. Grainger Let. 23 Apr. in All-round Man (1994) 95 Could you not..smack my face, pull my hair, pinch my ears, kick my legs, [etc.]?
1983 E. Welty Coll. Stories 418 Eugene gently pulled the Spaniard's arm, and pointed up the beach to the cliffs there.
2004 K. Charles in F. Armstrong Action Res. for Inclusive Educ. vii. 100 Jack returned to Joe, pulled his sleeve and pointed to his table.
b. transitive. to pull (a person) by the sleeve (also ear, nose, etc.): to tug at a person's sleeve, ear, nose, etc.; also (now archaic) in extended use with reference to the purpose of such a gesture (as attracting attention, ridicule, teasing, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > push and pull [verb (transitive)] > pull > pull the ears or by the ears
to pull by the earc1400
sowla1616
sowl1654
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) 1265 (MED) Pulden prestes bi þe polle, and plat of her hedes.
a1438 Bk. Margery Kempe (1940) i. 22 (MED) A good man..cam & pullyd hir be þe sleue.
1570 T. Norton tr. A. Nowell Catechisme f. 3 v Such is our dulnesse and forgetfulnesse, that we must oft be taught and put in remembrance,..and as it were pulled by the eare.
1591 Araignment A. Cosbye sig. B1v Neither is it to bee supposed that the Lorde Boorke did offer that disgrace as Cosby alleaged at the barre, which was that he pulled him by the nose the night before they fought.
1650 H. More Observ. Anthroposophia Theomagica sig. Hv Should..Sacred Writ, sole image of sure truth, Be pull'd by th' nose, by every idle youth?
1677 A. Horneck Great Law Consideration (1704) iv. 148 This would pull them by the sleeve, and bid them look on the covetous Gehazi.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 268. ⁋2 I very civilly requested him to remove his Hand, for which he pulled me by the Nose.
1793 ‘A. Pasquin’ Life Late Earl of Barrymore (ed. 3) 79 Compelled to pull him by the tail.
1843 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit (1844) xxi. 268 ‘Mark,’ whispered Martin, pulling him by the sleeve.
1875 E. A. B. R. Lewis Sappho iii. iv. 83 The laughing fiends that pulled me by the hair.
1913 W. Cather O Pioneers! i. i She did not notice the little boy until he pulled her by the coat.
1923 Washington Post 10 June 24/2 To outwit him [sc. the Devil], to pull him by the nose or by the tail, gave a zest to the struggle against temptation.
1963 D. Richie & M. Watanabe tr. Six Kabuki Plays 67 I got up but she pulled me by the sleeve and stopped me.
2001 W. Brown Unjust Seizure i. 29 These are the witnesses pulled by the ears according to the law of the Bavarians.
c. transitive. To cause (a bell, etc.) to move by pulling on a cord, chain, or the like.
ΚΠ
1640 J. Fletcher & J. Shirley Night-walker iii. sig. E4 May be wee'le cracke a quart yet, And pull a bell, commend to the houshold.
1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. xvii. 7 Mr. Fenton then pulled a Bell, and having ordered some cold Meats and Whitewine to be served, he bowed, and withdrew to his Company.
1773 Way to lose Him II. lxxxii. 176 My servant pulled the bell, and announced me as the friend of Sir Charles Wyndham.
a1815 in G. Rose Diaries (1860) II. 438 He put out his hand to pull the bell.
1816 S. T. Coleridge Christabel ii. 28 The sacristan..pulls the heavy bell.
1877 Times 27 Dec. 6/2 I have always pulled a punkah; so did..all my ancestors for many thousand generations.
1883 F. M. Crawford Mr. Isaacs i. 25 I was engaged to pull a punkah in the house of an English lawyer.
1914 J. Joyce Dubliners 122 She went into the women's room and began to pull the big bell. In a few minutes the women began to come in.
1985 A. Blair Tea at Miss Cranston's iv. 31 You went up an outside stair and pulled a bell that jangled the whole place.
2003 Yours Oct. 109/2 The Tower Captain pulled his bell, not realising the rope was slightly frayed at the top.
d. transitive. To open or close (a curtain or curtains). Cf. to draw the curtain at curtain n.1 1b.
ΚΠ
1845 R. Browning Flight of Duchess xv, in Bells & Pomegranates No. VII: Dramatic Romances & Lyrics 16/2 To be certain I pushed the lattice, pulled the curtain, And there lay Jacynth asleep.
1897 B. Stoker Dracula ii. 25 My window opened into the courtyard, all I could see was the warm grey of quickening sky. So I pulled the curtains again.
1939 Coshocton (Ohio) Tribune 12 June 6/7 He pulled the curtains as soon as the whistles blew, and didn't answer knocks on the door as he made everything fast for the night.
2001 A. O'Hare Green Eyes ix. 113 I set the mug down with a sigh. Pulled the curtains and bounced on the side of the bed.
14.
a. transitive. To draw (a person or thing) in a specified direction or into a specified position or state, as by the exertion of a dragging or tugging force; to drag, tug, haul. Also figurative. Usually with a prepositional phrase or adverbs expressing direction or position.For established uses with particular adverbs see Phrasal verbs.Also (occasionally) intransitive: to admit of being pulled in a particular direction, into a particular state, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > push and pull [verb (transitive)] > pull
teea900
drawOE
tighta1000
towc1000
tirea1300
pullc1300
tugc1320
halea1393
tilla1400
tolla1400
pluckc1400
retract?a1475
hook1577
tew1600
hike1867
the mind > will > motivation > motivate [verb (transitive)] > incite or instigate > urge, press, or impel
pullc1300
firk1340
enforce138.
pressa1393
thrust14..
impel1490
urge1576
to put (a person) to it1581
importune1598
to lay weight upon1600
riot1777
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > causing to come or go down > cause to come or go down [verb (transitive)] > draw or pull down
pull1530
deduce1626
c1300 Holy Cross (Laud) 384 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 12 A Caudron he liet fulle With eoyle; he liet it seoþe faste and þane guode man þare-inne pulle.
c1350 Apocalypse St. John: A Version (Harl. 874) (1961) 118 (MED) Þai þat ȝiuen stedfastlich her hertes & ben roted in erþelich þinges shullen ben pulled vp by þe rotes & cast in to þe fyre to brenne.
c1395 G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale 2353 Sodeynly anon this Damyan Gan pullen vp the smok and in he throng.
c1400 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Trin. Cambr. R.3.14) (1960) A. ii. 181 (MED) Pardoners hadde pite & pulden him to house.
a1425 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (1987) ii. 657 With that thought, for pure ashamed, she Gan in hire hed to pulle.
c1450 J. Capgrave Life St. Augustine (1910) 13 Þat same nyth þei pulled up sail & stale þe schip from hir.
a1464 J. Capgrave Abbreuiacion of Cron. (Cambr. Gg.4.12) (1983) 85 For his soule..was gret strif betwix angellis and deueles..in-so-mech þat þe monkis sey þe bodi be pullid too and fro.
1487–8 in W. H. Stevenson Rec. Borough Nottingham (1885) III. 268 To pulhope pylys that was dryuen downe with flodys.
a1500 (?c1400) Song of Roland (1880) 102 Redely the right ere he pullid from the hed.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 669/1 Pull hym downe out of the tre.
1562 in F. J. Furnivall Child-marriages, Divorces, & Ratifications Diocese Chester (1897) 99 As she was goynge for Turves, he..pullid her to bed to hym.
1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 170 Theyr Nettes..did hang so fast as without breaking they could not pull them out of the water.
1687 in N. Bouton Provinc. Papers New-Hampsh. (1867) I. 581 I did with much difficulty pull Wiggins off the deputy governor.
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. 58 Holding a Handkerchief about their neck with both hands they pull it sometimes this way, and sometimes that way, as if they were out of their wits with Grief.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. ii. viii. 147 I began to fancy that the Box was pulled, or towed along in the Sea.
1766 G. Williams Let. in G. Selwyn & Contemp. (1843) II. 42 After he has pulled up his stockings.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xxx. 257 He placidly pulled his night-cap over his ears.
1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations III. vii. 114 He should pull down the blind.
1867 J. Macgregor Rob Roy on Baltic xvii. 205 There is..the blind that won't pull down or stop up.
1880 ‘Ouida’ Moths I. 31 She had pulled her blonde perruque all awry in her vexation.
1927 C. A. Lindbergh ‘We’ viii. 134 I pulled the flashlight from my belt.
1960 C. Day Lewis Buried Day i. 21 I can remember..pulling a wooden engine along the sands.
1970 Sunday Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wisconsin) 29 Nov. (View Mag.) 15/2 There's a temperamental push-button lock on the back door. Sometimes it won't pull up to let a person in.
1987 USA Today 21 Oct. 2/3 DeVries said whoever pulled an injured man from Tingle's burning car was the real hero.
2005 A. St. John Clapton's Guitar xvi. 148 He..unearthed a spoke shave—essentially a plane that you pull toward you rather than push.
b. transitive. To detach, separate by pulling; to tear away from.In some instances corresponding in meaning to senses 2 and 3.
ΚΠ
a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate Siege Thebes (Arun.) (1911) 4286 (MED) He alighte doun..And from his wounde of newe affeccioun Ful bysy was to pulle the trunchoun.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll.) 390 He gate hir in his armys and pulde the swerde frome her.
1587 W. Harrison Descr. Eng. (1877) ii. xx. i. 331 Either reserued in the house, or hauing the rosse pulled from their rootes, laid againe in the earth.
1621 H. Elsynge Notes Deb. House of Lords (1870) 141 [He] told this deponent he would pull this deponent's flesh from his jawes if he wold not be conformable to theire wills.
a1689 W. Cleland Coll. Poems (1697) 80 Some look'd like..a Wife that doth begin To pull wooll from a stinking skin.
1724 H. Jones Present State Virginia 40 It lies till they have Leisure or Occasion to stem it (that is pull the leaves from the Stalk).
1770 W. Whitehead Trip to Scotl. 37 I seized her hand, she endeavoured to pull it from me.
1792 New Syst. Nat. Hist. II. 148 This is done by putting drops of frogs blood into the holes from whence they have pulled the feathers of the young parrot.
1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) v. 48 His arms being nearly pulled out of their sockets.
1883 J. B. Killebrew Rep. Tobacco U.S. 186 In stripping tobacco, the leaves are pulled from the stalks and tied in bundles.
1925 Cent. Mag. Jan. 374/2 In some places..muzhiks had even pulled the crosses out of tombs.
1961 M. Spark Prime of Miss Jean Brodie ii. 24 Rose Stanley was pulling threads from the girdle of her gym tunic.
2005 Independent 18 Jan. (Review section) 5/5 Bev recounts the time she saw a guy pull a bar from a fire-exit door to use in a fight.
c. transitive. to pull to (or in) pieces: to separate the parts of by force; to take or rip apart; to destroy, demolish; (figurative) to criticize harshly; to demolish (an argument, opinion, etc.) (cf. to pick to pieces at pick v.1 6a). Similarly to pull to bits, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > tearing or tearing apart > tear [verb (transitive)] > tear apart
to-loukc890
to-braidc893
to-tearc893
to-teec893
to-rendc950
to-breakc1200
to-tugc1220
to-lima1225
rivea1250
to-drawa1250
to-tosea1250
drawa1300
rendc1300
to-rit13..
to-rivec1300
to-tusec1300
rakea1325
renta1325
to-pullc1330
to-tightc1330
tirec1374
halea1398
lacerate?a1425
to-renta1425
yryve1426
raga1450
to pull to (or in) piecesc1450
ravec1450
discerp1483
pluck1526
rip1530
decerp1531
rift1534
dilaniate1535
rochec1540
rack1549
teasea1550
berend1577
distract1585
ream1587
distrain1590
unrive1592
unseam1592
outrive1598
divulse1602
dilacerate1604
harrow1604
tatter1608
mammocka1616
uprentc1620
divell1628
divellicate1638
seam-rend1647
proscind1659
skail1768
screeda1785
spret1832
to tear to shreds1837
ribbon1897
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (transitive)] > severely
to be sharp upon1561
crossbite1571
scarify1582
canvass1590
maul1592
slasha1652
fib1665
to be severe on (or upon)1672
scalp1676
to pull to (or in) pieces1703
roast1710
to cut up1762
tomahawk1815
to blow sky-high1819
row1826
excoriate1833
scourge1835
target1837
slate1848
scathe1852
to take apart1880
soak1892
pan1908
burn1914
slam1916
sandbag1919
to put the blast on (someone)1929
to tear down1938
clobber1944
handbag1952
rip1961
monster1976
c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1905) II. 311 (MED) All þe doggis..pullid hur all to gobettis, so þat vnnethis þe husbandis myght dyng þaim away.
1534 N. Udall Floures for Latine Spekynge gathered oute of Terence f. 85v I vnfortunat body am brought in misery, & in maner pulled in pieces through the craftines & suttiltie of this naughtie felow.
1557 Bible (Whittingham) Acts xxiii. 10 The Captaine, fearing lest Paul should haue bene pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers [etc.].
1615 G. Markham Eng. House-wife (1660) 92 Pull it all in pieces, and hurl in a good quantity of currants.
1678 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 45 Just before us lye a couple of Lyons..and we could not think..but they would presently pull us in pieces . View more context for this quotation
1703 N. Rowe Fair Penitent Ded. sig. A4 Publick Conversations, where every Body pulls and is pull'd to pieces.
1790 E. Burke Refl. Revol. in France 251 The complexional disposition of some of your guides to pull every thing in pieces . View more context for this quotation
1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lugger ii. v. 87 Allowed to pull rushen seats to pieces.
1852 New Monthly Mag. Dec. 428 This neo-Christian Socrates is commissioned to pull to pieces the tenet of Protagoras the sophist.
1941 H. L. Mencken Diary 27 July (1989) 157 Now the brats of the Okeys dig them up and pull the shrubs to pieces.
1970 J. Bakewell & N. Garnham New Priesthood iv. 44 We would..sit down with him, pull his script to bits, send it away, come back, try again, try it on an editor, [etc.].
1988 Coarse Fishing June 24/2 When he suggests something, I ridicule it, pull it to pieces and then find that I'm more keen..than he is.
2002 T. Tokoo Bodleian Shelley MSS XXIII. 25/2 These notebooks..might be pulled to pieces, partially or wholly, so that the written leaves could be sent off in batches for use as printers' copy.
15.
a. intransitive. To exert a force (on something) which has the effect of drawing, dragging, or tugging; to drag or tug at. Also figurative.
ΚΠ
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) 68 To see hem pulle in þe plow, aproche me by-hovez.
a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 1810 I avysede me To drawe out the shaft of tree; But evere the heed was left bihynde For ought I couthe pulle or wynde.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll.) 62 Ye nede nat for to pulle halffe so sore.
a1500 (?a1400) Sir Torrent of Portyngale (1887) 1607 (MED) Sith he pullith at his croke, So fast in to the flesh it toke, That oute myȝt he gete it nought.
a1513 W. Dunbar Ballat Passioun in Poems (1998) I. 37 Than Pane with Passioun me opprest, And evir did Petie on me pow.
1634 G. Markham Art of Archerie xiii. 128 Another..draweth backe with his Necke and shoulders, as if he were pulling at a rope.
1694 Acct. Several Late Voy. (1711) ii. 131 Notwithstanding that the Rope of its own accord doth pull or draw very hard.
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 163. ¶3 When Honour pulls one Way, Interest another, Inclination a third.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. i. v. 80 Taking the Knot in my Hand, [I] began to pull; but not a Ship would stir.
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art I. 405 The lever at which it [sc. the spring of a watch] pulls is lengthened as it grows weaker.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 179 In double-acting engines..the piston-rod forces upwards as well as pulls.
1841 E. W. Lane tr. Thousand & One Nights I. ii. 78 He pulled, but could not draw it up.
1904 W. N. Harben Georgians 22 So you 'n the old man are still pullin' agin one another?
1958 J. Carew Black Midas vi. 90 We turned down a lane and heard a dog pulling at his chain.
1989 Managem. & Leveraged Buy-out Mag. Summer 12/1 (advt.) In management buy-outs everybody is working hard—but not always pulling in the same direction.
2002 A. Davies Frog King 39 Suddenly she'll be there, pulling on my sleeve.
b. intransitive. To struggle; to exert oneself. Cf. pull n.1 7a. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > exert oneself or make an effort [verb (intransitive)] > make strenuous efforts > in face of difficulties
wring1470
warslea1500
contend?1518
agonize1570
wrestle1591
struggle1597
throe1615
pull1676
sprattle1786
1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads xvi. 106 The sweat ran down his limbs; nor could he well, Though mightily for breath he pull'd, respire.
1829 W. M. Thackeray Let. 25–29 May (1945) I. 80 I have been pulling away at the Greek Play and Trigonometry.
1993 D. Shay & J. Duncan Making of Jurassic Park 112 So all of us pulled to get out of there early.
c. intransitive. Of a horse: to strain against the bit, esp. persistently or habitually.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > habits and actions of horse > [verb (intransitive)] > champ or pull against bit
champ1558
pull1791
1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsemanship ix. 42 My horse, who pulls like the devil, was off with me in a jiffey.
1840 D. P. Blaine Encycl. Rural Sports §1258 When the free-going horse is pulling somewhat harder than [his rider] thinks it prudent to indulge him in, he is checked by a steady and firm use of the bit.
1883 Illustr. Sporting & Dramatic News 6 Jan. 407/2 The effect [of the nose net]..is to make a horse keep his mouth shut and..to prevent him pulling.
1907 Cavalry Training (Gen. Staff War Office) iii. §84 Many horses never pull unless they are going beyond a certain pace, when..they get so excited that they pull very hard or run away.
1983 J. Hughes & P. Watson Long Live National 59 Well To Do..was just running away the whole time, pulling hard which he never usually did.
d. intransitive. To manage to get through or out of an illness, difficulty, etc. Cf. to pull through 2 at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > succeed or be a success [verb (intransitive)] > achieve success (of persons) > succeed in doing anything > succeed under difficulties
win through1644
to come through1708
to pull through1830
pull1856
to fetch through1912
to hack it1936
1856 C. Reade It is never too Late I. xv. 256 You pulled through it, and so will he.
1891 R. Kipling Light that Failed x. 201 I must pull through the business alone.
1961 Times 1 June 23/6 Since the motor industry has gradually pulled out of the recession it found itself in towards the end of 1960.
1965 Listener 10 June 873/2 In terror and elation he pulls through the ordeal of his first rodeo.
1989 V. Singh In Search of River Goddess 35 I was glad that Shabnam was gradually pulling out of her sentiment of death.
e. intransitive. Esp. of a vehicle: to move, go, or proceed by pulling or by exerting force. Usually with a prepositional phrase or adverb expressing direction. See also sense 25d.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > forward movement > move forward or advance [verb (intransitive)] > with persistence, effort, or urgency
shovec888
thringc893
thresta1225
wina1300
thrustc1330
pressa1375
throngc1440
wrestc1450
thrimp1513
to put forward1529
intrude1562
breast1581
shoulder1581
haggle1582
strivea1586
wrestle1591
to push on (also along)1602
elabour1606
contend1609
to put on?1611
struggle1686
worry1702
crush1755
squeege1783
battle1797
scrouge1798
sweat1856
flounder1861
pull?1863
tank1939
bulldozer1952
terrier1959
?1863 T. Taylor Ticket-of-leave Man iii. 50 Now, cabby, pull round..London Joint Stock Bank! Best pace.
1877 M. Reynolds Locom. Engine Driving (ed. 5) i. viii. 131 The guard got up on the step of the engine, when they pulled gently down to the scene.
1891 R. Kipling Light that Failed xiv. 293 We'll pull out of this place, Bess, and get away as far as ever we can.
1900 W. F. Drannan Thirty-one Years on Plains 548 Pulling on for the mountains..we saw the ruins of two wagons that had been burned.
1924 E. L. Heermance Codes of Ethics 42 In stopping for repairs pull off the road.
1993 M. Russell Chief (Anglia TV shooting script) (O.E.D. Archive) 4th Ser. Episode 10. 37 As the car pulls down the drive, a security guard..is walking slowly across the lawn.
f. intransitive. Of the engine of a motor vehicle: to provide (adequate) propulsive force or power. Also with the vehicle as subject.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > movement of vehicles > move or go along [verb (intransitive)] > have adequate power
pull1902
1902 C. S. Rolls in A. C. Harmsworth et al. Motors & Motor-driving (Badminton Libr. of Sports & Pastimes) ix. 175 Motor will not ‘pull’ well or misses fire.
1933 J. Buchan Prince of Captivity iii. ii. 282 The driver stopped to examine his engine. ‘She pulls badly, mein Herr,’ he said.
1982 Times 30 Apr. 21/3 It pulls well, even from fifth, though it is sometimes necessary to drop a gear for safe overtaking.
1993 Super Bike Jan. 52/2 While all this was going on, the bike was still pulling half-decent and Dave nursed it home in third.
16.
a. transitive. To draw or move by non-physical force or influence; to bring forcibly into or out of a particular state or condition; to attract; to impel.Often simply a use of sense 14a in a figurative context.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > obedience > compulsion > compel [verb (transitive)] > to or into an action or state
needeOE
driveOE
strainc1374
halec1400
plunge?c1400
thrust14..
pulla1425
put1425
compel1541
violent?1551
forcec1592
necessitate1629
oblige1632
dragoon1689
press1733
coercea1853
thirl1871
steamroller1959
arm-twist1964
a1425 (?a1400) Cloud of Unknowing (Harl. 674) (1944) 14 (MED) Seest þou nouȝt..how graciously he haþ pulled þee to þe þrid degre & maner of leuing, þe whiche hiȝt Synguleer?
a1485 H. Baradoun in F. J. Furnivall Polit., Relig., & Love Poems (1903) 290 Anon ther is some obstacle or thyng That pullyth me thens, magre of my might.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy 10489 Parys full priuely sho pulled into councell.
1589 Hay any Work (1844) 71 To pull the pride of Gods enemy an ase lower.
a1625 J. Fletcher Chances i. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Aaav/2 And longer to expect my friend may pull me Into suspition of too late a stirrer, Which all good Governments are jealous of.
1642 D. Rogers Naaman 38 When long-suffering hath spent it selfe in pulling them to repentance.
1718 A. Pennecuik Britannia Triumphans 18 Death hath pull'd mild Anna from the Crown.
1759 J. Hawkesworth Oroonoko iv. ii. 45 A Father's Fondness, and a Husband's Love..seize upon my Heart, strain all its Strings To pull me to 'em from my stern Resolve.
1824 L. Sawyer Wreck of Honor ii. 60 Thus am I Torn in two by love and duty. But the First too potent, pulls me from the last.
1836 J. Baillie Homicide ii. iv. 233 Would that my bounden duty to society did not pull me the contrary way.
1853 E. C. Gaskell Ruth II. vii. 168 The sorrow I have pulls me down and down, and makes me despise and hate every one.
1913 D. H. Lawrence Sons & Lovers x. 268 He was pulled in all directions. He was not glad it was his birthday.
1962 S. Bellow in N.Y. Times Bk. Rev. 11 Feb. 1/4 In what we call the novel of sensibility the intent of the writer is to pull us into an all-sufficient consciousness.
1988 Now (Toronto) 14 Apr. 41/3 A kind of schizophrenia that pulls her between how she lives and the knowledge that there should be something more for her.
b. transitive. spec. To bring (misfortune or disaster) on (also upon) (oneself, one's head, etc.). In later use chiefly with down. Cf. draw v. 36b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > suffer (adversity or affliction) [verb (transitive)] > inflict (adversity) on or upon
teenOE
wait1303
visita1382
show1483
usurpc1485
prejudge1531
pull1550
apply1558
inflict1594
to put through the mangle1924
1550 R. Crowley Way to Wealth sig. Bivv Bi pulling vpon your self yt vengeaunce of god.
1573 T. Cooper Briefe Expos. f. 118 Their sinne may well appeare to haue come to full Ripenesse, and most iustly to haue pulled on their heades the dreadfull vengeance of God from heauen.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy i. i. i. i. 3 Crying sinnes..which pull these severall plagues..vpon our heads.
1662 H. Hibbert Syntagma Theologicum 333 Sin pulls sickness upon us.
1680 T. Otway Orphan v. i. 70 What means Castalio? Sure thou wilt not pull More sorrows on thy Aged Fathers head.
1690 W. Walker Idiomatologia Anglo-Lat. 333 To pull mischief on one's pate.
1718 H. Wanley Let. 12 Apr. (1989) 384 If he hath, by much unnecessary Painstaking, pulled down the Resentments of His..Superiors; He must Thank Himself.
1754 S. Fielding & J. Collier Cry III. v. iii.192 Assuring me, that by a farther indulgence of my curiosity, I should only pull heaps of sorrow on my own head.
1779 H. More Fatal Falsehood iii. 45 Yet shall this single weakness, this imprudence Pull down the heaviest plagues upon his head.
1819 I. Harby Alberti ii. ii. 25 If thou wouldst Pull vengeance on thy head, and on Antonia's.
1898 R. Hovey Launcelot & Guenevere i. i. 96 Do not in your folly pull your vengeance Down on yourselves and all of us.
1956 Geogr. Jrnl. 122 370 The progressive disruption within the Zambezi party that pulled down disaster upon it.
c. transitive. Originally U.S. To withdraw from or out of circulation, participation, etc. Cf. sense 10.
ΚΠ
1910 Atlanta Constit. 28 July 10/3 The Chicago pitcher was hit to almost every corner of the field in the sixth inning, and Chance pulled him out of the game.
1959 Tri-City Herald (Washington) 10 Nov. 1/5 The fresh cranberries were pulled from C&H stores yesterday.
1991 Esquire Jan. 68/1 The book had to be pulled from distribution, a total loss.
2004 E. Conlon Blue Blood ii. 49 Agents are pulled from their normal assignments to work on the incident.
d. transitive. With off. To stop (a person) from continuing with a particular task or job.
ΚΠ
1915 Fort Wayne (Indiana) Daily News 13 Aug. 12/1 The alacrity with which Secretary Redfield dropped his farcical investigation into the Eastland disaster, indicates that he was pulled off the case by a man higher up.
1956 Albuquerque (New Mexico) Jrnl. 24 Aug. 2/1 Long said in Santa Fe Thursday that after Hartman got the letter, Hartman pulled him off his task in Rio Arriba ‘for political reasons’.
1979 A. Price Tomorrow's Ghost iii. 31 It doesn't make sense to pull me off one operation..in order to waste me on another.
2002 Miami Herald (Nexis) 19 Apr. g9 The script gets dumber as it goes along, too, from the way in which Cassie's superiors pull her off the case just as she's making progress.
17.
a. transitive. To take a draught or drink of (liquid, esp. an alcoholic drink); to sip or swig (a draught of liquid); †to drink from (a tankard, glass, etc.) (obsolete). Formerly sometimes with off. Also intransitive (usually with at, on). Cf. pull n.1 8a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > drink intoxicating liquor
pulla1450
to crush a cup of wine1592
to take one's rousea1593
crack1600
whiff1609
bezzle1617
bub1654
tift1722
bibulate1767
lush1838
do1853
lower1895
nip1897
sink1899
a1450–1500 ( Libel Eng. Policy (1926) 287 Twoo Flemmynges togedere Wol undertake..to drinke a barell fulle Of gode berkyne; so sore they hale and pulle.
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 134 Syr, in good ffeyth oo draught I pulle.
1595 W. S. Lamentable Trag. Locrine ii. ii. 147 This makes us work for company To pull the tankards cheerfully.
?1609 J. Healey tr. Bp. J. Hall Discouery New World 59 Now so many stoopes must hee pull of, or else hee is held an vngratefull, vnmannerly fellow.
1709 E. Ward Writings IV. 128 Each merry Cup, Will lift us up Above the reach of Sorrow. Then pull away, Let's drink to day, What e'er we do to to morrow.
1751 R. Paltock Life Peter Wilkins I. xxviii. 273 I Set a Bowl of Punch before them..which they pulled off plentifully.
1770 T. Percy tr. P. H. Mallet Northern Antiq. II. 127 He set it to his mouth, and..pulled as long and as deeply as he could, that he might not be obliged to make a second draught of it.
1820 J. H. Reynolds Fancy 22 Give us the keg, we'll pull a little Deady.
1905 Indiana (Pa.) County Gaz. 1 Jan. 7/2 He slept fifteen hours a day and when awake was principally interested in pulling on a bottle.
1929 O. la Farge Laughing Boy vii. 91 ‘It is beginning to do its good, little brother.’ The medicine man pulled at the bottle in sympathy.
1989 K. Dunn Geek Love iii. xxiv. 299 Sanderson pulled a long swig from the bottle.
2002 T. Lott Rumours of Hurricane (2003) vi. 142 Charlie laughs, pulls at his beer.
b. intransitive. To puff, draw, or suck at or on a pipe, cigar, or cigarette.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > tobacco > smoking > use as material for smoking [verb (transitive)] > inhale
takec1175
drink1601
drawa1774
pull1837
drag1919
inhale1933
1837 P. D. Hardy Legends, Tales, & Stories Ireland 101 ‘Why, that's true Dick,..take your whiff—pull away, my hearty,’ and Dick enjoyed his pipe some minutes longer.
1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations I. xv. 235 Joe..pulled hard at his pipe.
1897 T. C. De Leon Novelette Trilogy v. 44 He..strode rapidly homeward; pulling hard..on the dead cigar between his lips.
1941 C. Beaton Diary Apr. in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) xi. 88 The moment when the engines are switched off, the noise is over, and they can drop out and pull deeply at a cigarette.
1967 A. MacLean Where Eagles Dare xii. 247 Wing Commander Carpenter pulled luxuriously at his evil-smelling briar.
2002 B July 53/1 She pulls viciously on a cigarette as she paces the room.
c. transitive. To draw (drink, esp. beer) from a keg, etc., by means of a pump or tap. to pull pints: to work behind the bar of a pub.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > providing or serving drink > [verb (transitive)] > take from cask or cellar
run1554
uncellar1611
discask1615
broach1649
spile1772
ullage1881
pull1910
1910 Scribner's Mag. Oct. 427/1 The agent pulled a pint of moonshine and Uncle Hosea's eyes sparkled.
1916 W. H. Young Merry Banker in Far East i. 2 The pretty and sympathetic barmaid slyly pulled a ‘dash’ into my pewter for nothing but pure love of me.
1925 A. Clarke Cattledrive in Connaught 19 The barmen Glassing neat whiskey or pulling black porter On draught.
1962 Times 6 Oct. 7/5 (advt.) The landlord didn't pull his punches. But now he's pulling pints.
1975 M. Kenyon Mr Big v. 46 The muscled barmaid pulled pints.
1984 M. A. Jarman Dancing nightly in Tavern 9 A local saunters in and the waitress pulls him a diet Pepsi before the man has spoken.
2003 Sci. Amer. Dec. 15/1 The average draft pint takes at least 25 seconds to pull.
†18. transitive. To take away forcibly or with violence; to wrest from a person. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > loss > taking away > take away [verb (transitive)] > forcibly or suddenly
reaveOE
bereavec1320
atreachc1325
ravisha1398
reach?a1400
to catch awayc1400
rendc1450
ravena1513
pull1530
despoila1533
snatch1597
reap1634
extort1785
to pounce away1821
erept1865
1530 J. Rastell New Bk. Purgatory iii. vii. sig. f4 Than the soule [is] immedyatly pulled & separate from the body by naturall dethe.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy 7289 His pray [was] fro hym puld, & his pepull slayn.
1542 H. Brinkelow Lamentacion sig. Dviiiv It is highe tyme to pul from them that wycked mammon.
1603 T. Dekker et al. Patient Grissill sig. Bv I that haue..from my father Puld more then he could spare.
1625 C. Burges New Discouery Personal Tithes 11 To pull the poore mans bread out of his belly.
†19. transitive. With adverb implied by the context.
a. = to pull down at Phrasal verbs (in various senses); esp. to bring low, weaken (= to pull down 1 at Phrasal verbs). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > cause to be ill [verb (transitive)] > make weak
fellOE
wastec1230
faintc1386
endull1395
resolvea1398
afaintc1400
defeat?c1400
dissolvec1400
weakc1400
craze1476
feeblish1477
debilite1483
overfeeble1495
plucka1529
to bring low1530
debilitate1541
acraze1549
decaya1554
infirma1555
weaken1569
effeeble1571
enervate1572
enfeeble1576
slay1578
to pull downa1586
prosternate1593
shake1594
to lay along1598
unsinew1598
languefy1607
enerve1613
pulla1616
dispirit1647
imbecilitate1647
unstring1700
to run down1733
sap1755
reduce1767
prostrate1780
shatter1785
undermine1812
imbecile1829
disinvigorate1844
devitalize1849
wreck1850
atrophy1865
crumple1892
the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)]
anitherOE
fellOE
lowc1175
to lay lowc1225
to set adownc1275
snuba1340
meekc1350
depose1377
aneantizea1382
to bring lowa1387
declinea1400
meekenc1400
to pull downc1425
avalec1430
to-gradea1440
to put downc1440
humble1484
alow1494
deject?1521
depress1526
plucka1529
to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533
to bring down1535
to bring basec1540
adbass1548
diminish1560
afflict1561
to take down1562
to throw down1567
debase1569
embase1571
diminute1575
to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576
exinanite1577
to take (a person) a peg lower1589
to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589
disbasea1592
to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592
comb-cut1593
unpuff1598
atterr1605
dismount1608
annihilate1610
crest-fall1611
demit1611
pulla1616
avilea1617
to put a scorn on, upon1633
mortify1639
dimit1658
to put a person's pipe out1720
to let down1747
to set down1753
humiliate1757
to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789
start1821
squabash1822
to wipe a person's eye1823
to crop the feathers of1827
embarrass1839
to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864
to sit upon ——1864
squelch1864
to cut out of all feather1865
to sit on ——1868
to turn down1870
to score off1882
to do (a person) in the eye1891
puncture1908
to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908
to cut down to size1927
flatten1932
to slap (a person) down1938
punk1963
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iii. ii. 1 Let them pull all about mine eares, present me Death on the Wheele. View more context for this quotation
a1625 J. Fletcher Island Princesse ii. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Nnn2v/2 I'le pull your courage King.
a1625 J. Fletcher Wife for Moneth v. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Iiiiii2v/1 His ranke flesh shall be pull'd with daily fasting.
1655 in E. Nicholas Nicholas Papers (1892) II. 158 These last fitts of discontent..have soe pulled the Queene that she may want strength to see another sommer.
b. = to pull off 1b at Phrasal verbs. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > providing with clothing > undressing or removing clothing > undress or remove clothing [verb (transitive)] > take off clothing
to do offeOE
to lay downc1275
to weve offc1290
stripc1320
doffa1375
loose1382
ofdrawa1393
casta1400
to take offa1400
warpa1400
to cast offc1400
to catch offc1400
waivec1400
voidc1407
to put off?a1425
to wap offc1440
to lay from, offc1480
despoil1483
to pull offc1500
slip1535
devest1566
to shift off1567
daff1609
discuss1640
to lay off1699
strip1762
douse1780
shuffle1837
derobe1841
shed1858
skin1861
peel1888
pull1888
1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. II. App. 641 They pull their coats. The field is worked row by row and hill by hill.
20.
a. intransitive. colloquial (chiefly North American) To exert influence or ‘root’ for a person, cause, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > support > support or encouragement > support or encourage [verb (intransitive)]
hieldc1325
inclinea1393
favour1393
to cry aim1567
shout1875
root1889
pull1890
1890 Current Lit. Feb. 134/1 Don't give up, Johnnie; I'm pulling for you.
1903 Forum (N.Y.) 35 311 Such committees are exposed to all kinds..of influence..all pulling for this or that applicant.
1922 G. Ade Let. 22 Nov. (1973) 85 Tomorrow I go up to LaFayette to pull for Purdue against Indiana and I hope we may win at least one game.
1949 National Geographic Mag. Sept. 321/1 I'm usually pulling for the Indians instead of the cowboys.
1970 G. F. Newman Sir, You Bastard ii. 73 The Governor was pulling for him with the Divisional D[etective] C[hief] S[uperintendent].
1995 Sun 25 July 34/2 The average guy pulls for John because they can relate to him more than someone like Greg Norman.
2004 D. McKinney-Whetstone Leaving Cecil St. 124 Tell Neet we're pulling for her, tell her we got her name lifted up to Jesus.
b. transitive. Originally U.S. Originally: to secure (votes). Later more generally: to attract (interest, favour, or custom). Frequently intransitive in same sense.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > selling > sell [verb (transitive)] > expose or offer for sale > solicit custom for
to drum up1824
drum1834
pull1896
tout1920
cold-call1985
the mind > language > speech > request > request or ask for [verb (transitive)] > petition or appeal for > votes, custom, etc.
canvass1812
run1866
pull1896
1896 Harper's Mag. Oct. 809/1 ‘Honest men is scarce,’ remarked the politician, ‘but I'd run for yez, an' pull the votes of the byes in the district.’
1905 E. E. Calkins & R. Holden Art Mod. Advertising xi. 264 The advertiser likes to know which particular mediums pull best.
1946 J. Dadswell Hey, Sucker 67 To help ‘pull’ the public they have livestock shows, grandstand productions, races, art and school exhibits, and farm machinery displays.
1974 S. Marcus Minding Store (1975) xi. 228 The booklets pulled fairly well, both in store response and through the mails.
1985 A. Blond Book Bk. x. 152 Good strong reviews across the board from the TLS to the Sun will pull sales.
1990 N.Y. Times Mag. 5 Aug. 40/3 Jumbo envelopes pull better than 6-by-9 envelopes. Orange pulls better than blue.
21. transitive. To fail to ‘push’ (push v. 12a); to make inadequate efforts to sell.Apparently an isolated use.
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1906 R. Kipling in Westm. Gaz. 20 Oct. 16/1 These [books], I gather, he did not ‘feel under any obligation to push’. I understand he has loyally lived up to his lack of obligation, but my point is that the books were ‘pulled’ simply and solely because they were not sold to the ‘Times’ on terms which would have enabled the ‘Times’ to undersell the booksellers.
22. transitive. To strain or damage (a muscle, ligament, etc.) by excessive stretching.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > disorders affecting muscles > affect with muscular disorder [verb (transitive)] > sprain or strain
wrench1530
wrestc1550
strain1612
sprain1622
wrincha1625
rick1638
subluxate1743
turn1758
throw1790
wramp1808
vert1883
stave1887
crink1888
wrick1904
pull1908
1908 Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) 17 Apr. 11/2 One of Yale's best sprinters..has pulled a tendon and as a result will be unable to take part in the spring meet.
1920 Times 21 Aug. 12/6 Edwards..got away magnificently in the semi-final, but pulled a thigh muscle in rounding a curve.
1955 R. Bannister First Four Minutes 175 Until then I had never been able to understand how athletes pulled muscles.
1976 P. Harcourt Dance for Diplomats v. 51 ‘You're still limping.’..‘I must have pulled a muscle.’
2006 Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Nexis) 11 July (Features) 15 Within a mile of setting off I pulled a tendon in my left ankle.
III. In various technical and specialist uses.
†23. transitive. Mathematics. To subtract (a quantity) from another quantity. Obsolete.
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the world > relative properties > number > arithmetic or algebraic operations > perform arithmetic or algebraic operations [verb (transitive)] > subtract
to do awayOE
drawc1392
to take out of ——a1398
to take offa1400
withdrawc1400
subtray?c1425
ydraw?c1425
surtretec1440
to take away?1537
rebate1543
subtract1543
subduct?1556
substra?1558
pull?a1560
subduce?a1560
substract1559
to pull back?1574
difference1658
take1798
minus1963
?a1560 L. Digges Geom. Pract.: Pantometria (1571) i. xiii. sig. D iv v If you haue made two stations, pull the lesse Quotient from the great.
?1574 W. Bourne Regiment for Sea vii. sig. H.ij You must pull the heigth of the Equinoctial from the horizon.
24. transitive and intransitive. Cards. To draw (a card) from a pack, pile, etc. Also figurative and in extended use. Chiefly North American in later use.Apparently rare between the mid 17th and 20th centuries. †to pull (for) prime: to draw for a card or cards to try and get a prime (prime n.2 8) (obsolete).
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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play at cards [verb (intransitive)] > actions or tactics
pass1599
pluck1606
pulla1625
to play high1640
to follow suit1643
to play at forsat1674
lead1677
overdrawc1805
stand1813
retract1823
underplay1850
to hold up1879
to throw in one's hand1893
build1901
build-down1983
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play a card [verb (transitive)] > actions or tactics
to hold up?1499
decardc1555
to turn up1580
discard1591
pulla1625
to sit out1659
face1674
to make out1680
to lay out1687
to throw away1707
lead1739
weaken1742
carry1744
to take in1744
force1746
to show down1768
throw1866
blank1884
block1884
cover1885
unblock1885
pitch1890
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > other card games > [verb (intransitive)] > actions in specific games > in primero
face1594
to pull (for) primea1625
a1625 J. Fletcher Monsieur Thomas (1639) iv. viii. sig. K4v Faith sir, my rest is up, And what I now pull, shall no more afflict me Then if I plaid at span-counter.
a1625 J. Fletcher Womans Prize i. ii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Nnnnn2/2 My rest is up wench, and I pull for that Will make me ever famous.
a1631 J. Donne Poems (1633) 331 He..spends as much time Wringing each Acre, as men pulling prime.
1633 G. Herbert Temple: Sacred Poems 49 Riddle who list, for me, and pull for Prime.
1633 G. Herbert Temple: Sacred Poems 187 The world came both with hands and purses full To this great lotterie, and all would pull.
1937 Winnipeg Free Press 3 Nov. 7/3 The player who carefully considers his leads and plays may be giving more information to the enemy than if he were to close his eyes and pull a card.
2001 Rocky Mountain News (Denver) (Nexis) 18 Dec. (Sport section) 2 c Seven families were vying for one remaining room. Each family pulled a playing card. The family that pulled the red one got the room.
25.
a. intransitive. To pull on an oar or oars so as to move a boat, to row; to proceed by rowing; (also) to travel in a rowing boat. See also to pull away 2 at Phrasal verbs.to pull stroke: see stroke n.1 13d.
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society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > [verb (intransitive)] > row
rowOE
oara1450
remigate1623
pull1748
1630 J. Taylor Wks. 22 And as our Oares thus downe the Riuer pull'd, Oft with a Fowling-peece the Gulls we gull'd.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson ii. ix. 230 They exerted their utmost strength in pulling out to sea.
1794 A. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho III. 388 The boatmen pulled hard at their oars; but the thunder..made the Count determine to put back to the monastery for shelter.
1823 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 12 July 1/5 Line your oars boys, pull ahead..pull ahead, I tell you, why don't ye.
1854 Times 10 May 9/5 After a hard struggle the crew pulled clear of the bows and were battling the full force of the short thick waves that broke on all sides.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xx. 511 He ordered his men to pull for the beach.
1859 J. R. Green Oxf. Stud. (O.H.S.) 17 Familiar to Oxford men pulling lazily on a summer's noon to Godstow.
1907 G. John Voice from China xi. 222 We pulled out and anchored in mid-stream.
1925 W. Faulkner Let. Mar. in Thinking of Home (1992) 192 Another fellow and I took the skiff and pulled back down the river.
1989 P. O'Brian Thirteen-gun Salute v. 128 The rowers rising from the thwarts as they pulled, straining their oars to the breaking-point.
b. transitive. To pull on (an oar); to propel by rowing, to row (a boat); (also) to transport (a person or thing) by rowing boat. Also (occasionally) intransitive: (of a boat) to allow of being rowed (in a specified way).to pull one's weight: see Phrases 10.
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society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > propel boat by oars, paddle, or pole [verb (transitive)] > row (a boat)
rowc1350
oara1616
pull1674
society > travel > travel by water > action or motion of vessel > [verb (intransitive)] > make progress > by oars or sweeps
rowc1300
pull1805
sweep1839
1674 T. Duffett Empress of Morocco i. 2 Boat does move as man does pull her, In greater State you ne're saw Sculler.
1679 J. Leanerd Counterfeits iv. iv. 42 He's doubly curst is foundred near the Shore: Fortune the Rudder guide, I'll pull the Oar.
1740 D. Hume Treat. Human Nature III. ii. 60 Two men, who pull the oars of a boat, do it by an agreement or convention, tho' they have never given promises to each other.
1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine sig. Ddd Pull the starboard oars, and hold water with the larboard oars!
1805 J. Smith in Naval Chron. 15 75 The other [boat], from pulling heavy, not being able to get up.
1820 J. H. Reynolds Fancy 42 Oft on Sundays, scorning land,..I've pulled a girl, with blister'd hand, And bleeding heart, through Chelsea Reach!
1834 F. Marryat Jacob Faithful II. iv. 81 You know old deaf Stapleton, whose wherry we have so often pulled up and down the river?
1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. i. i. 1 The girl rowed, pulling a pair of sculls very easily.
1905 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 9 July 24/4 There they stuck until a boatman or two with strong arms and oars pulled them across the channel.
1974 E. Bowen Henry & Other Heroes iii. 55 During college he had pulled a genteel oar on the University of Pennsylvania crew.
1993 D. C. Reece Rich Broth iii. 15 We taught sea cadets knots and signals and how to pull an oar.
c. transitive. Of a boat: to be fitted or rowed with (a specified number of oars).
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > be propelled by oars or poles [verb (transitive)] > be fitted for (so many) oars
row1769
pull1804
1804 in Ld. Nelson Dispatches & Lett. (1845) V. 496 She should be fitted so as to pull thirty-eight sweeps and two skulls.
1837 F. Marryat Snarleyyow xxx The lugger pulled eighteen oars, was clinker built, and very swift.
1870 Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 24 Aug. Sixth Race... For Dores and Canoes not over 20 Feet, pulling two Oars, with liberty to steer with Paddle and use it.
1933 Times 12 June 6/6 The race is rowed..in gigs pulling six oars over a two-mile course.
1985 Lifeboat Winter 264/1 Wick's first lifeboat, 28ft pulling 12 oars, arrived on station that same November.
d. intransitive. Of a boat: to be rowed (in a particular direction). See also to pull away 3a at Phrasal verbs. Now rare or merged in sense 15e.
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1830 J. F. Cooper Water Witch III. ii. 42 Our barge is pulling along the land, and the launch appears to be lying off the inlet.
1836 F. Marryat Mr. Midshipman Easy I. xiii. 212 The boats pulled in shore.
1988 P. O'Brian Let. of Marque iii. 104 The boats pulled fast across the water, with never a sound but the creak of thwarts and thole-pins.
e. intransitive. Originally Sport. In a race or competition: to move by effort or exertion into a specified relative position or ranking (as clear, level, etc.). Cf. to pull away 3c at Phrasal verbs, to pull up 5 at Phrasal verbs.Originally with the sense of literally pulling on oars, as in a rowing race.
ΚΠ
1864 Times 6 Sept. 10/5 The Alice pulled clear, took a lead, and won easily by more than 20 lengths.
1894 Chicago Tribune 6 July 11/7 They pulled level for the first 100 yards, but Nickalls led by one-half length at Top Island.
1924 Indianapolis Star 9 June 13/4 The Cubs by winning two games from New York pulled to within one game of the Giants.
1976 Economist 6 Mar. 93/1 The Hang Seng index..has now pulled sharply ahead.
1989 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 13 Oct. a1/4 The Democratic candidate..appears to have pulled ahead of his Republican rival.
2000 Canberra Sunday Times 11 June 89/6 If she finds the net this afternoon she will pull clear of Cheryl Salisbury as the leading goalscorer of all-time in Australian women's soccer.
26. transitive. Printing. To draw (the bar of a hand-press) towards oneself, so as to press the platen on to the sheet or forme; to print upon (a sheet) or from (a forme), by doing this or (on other kinds of press) by other means; to print off (an impression, proof, or copy). In early use also intransitive.
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society > communication > printing > [verb (intransitive)]
pull1653
type1841
society > communication > printing > [verb (transitive)]
imprint1477
impress1508
print1511
stamp1555
press1579
pull1653
to take off1707
to throw off1720
strike1759
typefy1856
society > communication > printing > specific methods or processes > [verb (transitive)] > pull bar of hand-press
pull1653
society > communication > printing > specific methods or processes > [verb (transitive)] > pull bar of hand-press > print by pulling
pull1653
1653 T. Urquhart tr. F. Rabelais 1st Bk. Wks. li. 227 He appointed them to pull at the Presses of his Printing-house, which he had newly set up.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 322 He..gently leans his Body back, that his Arm as he Pulls the Bar towards him may keep a straight posture.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 325 Having thus Pulled one Sheet, and laid it down: He turns his Body towards the Tympan again.
1854 T. F. Adams Typographia 217 The proofs when pulled to be given to the reader.
1876 G. O. Trevelyan Life & Lett. Macaulay (1880) I. 172 The sheets had been pulled.
1881 Times 4 Jan. 3/6 The remainder of the bitumen film is removed and impressions are pulled from it like any other etched plate.
1900 Pall Mall Mag. Oct. 179 A few copies were pulled before the disaster occurred.
1919 E. Brock in Industr.-Arts Mag. Aug. 307/2 Only one print may be ‘pulled’.
1977 Audubon May 91/2 Over 1,000 superb impressions were pulled; only the very best of these were selected.
2003 M. Belson On the Press 349 Once the forme of type had been placed on the bed of the printing machine one proof was pulled.
27. transitive. To rein in or check (a horse); (Horse Racing) to hold back (a horse) by such checks in order to lose a race deliberately. Also occasionally intransitive. Cf. to pull up 3a at Phrasal verbs.
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society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride (a horse or other animal) [verb (transitive)] > control with reins > check or stop with reins
araynea1400
refrain1440
reina1525
to rein in1658
pull1781
to pull up1827
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > ride horse in race [verb (transitive)] > actions of rider
bore1677
jostle1723
pinch1740
pull1781
rope1854
screw1855
corner1861
ride1863
ready1887
poach1891
nurse1893
to ask (a horse) the question1894
stiffen1900
shoo1908
rate1946
stop1954
niggle1963
1781 F. Plumer Copy Pt. Let. to Brother 4 My Boy was so terrified that he pulled his Horse hard.
?1803 S. Chifney Genius Genuine 160 The phrase at Newmarket is, that you should pull your horse to ease him in his running... He should be enticed to ease himself an inch a time.
1861 G. J. Whyte-Melville Good for Nothing xxviii If you were there [sc. at the Derby], you'll agree with me that Belphegor was pulled.
1880 A. Trollope Duke's Children III. x. 118 Tregear was next to her and was intending to ‘fly’ the fence. But when he saw Mrs. Spooner pull her horse and pause, he also had to pull his horse.
1889 Tablet 6 July 11/2 Whether a jockey rides to win or has been bribed to pull.
1928 ‘Brent of Bin Bin’ Up Country xiii. 210 No horse was ‘pulled’, every beast and rider did his utmost to win.
1946 G. Millar Horned Pigeon xix. 300 The favourite was blatantly pulled in the fifth race, and an outsider which I had backed came romping home.
1979 M. Seth-Smith & R. Mortimer Derby 200 i. 25 She..was deliberately pulled by her villainous jockey who had been bribed by an equally villainous bookmaker in the St. Leger.
28. slang.
a. transitive. Of the police, etc.: to arrest (a person); to single out for investigation, stop for questioning. Now chiefly British.Cf. to pull in 6 at Phrasal verbs, to pull up 4 at Phrasal verbs.
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society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > arrest > [verb (transitive)]
at-holda1230
attacha1325
resta1325
takec1330
arrest1393
restay?a1400
tachec1400
seisinc1425
to take upa1438
stowc1450
seize1471
to lay (also set, clap, etc.) (a person) by the heels?1515
deprehend1532
apprehend1548
nipa1566
upsnatcha1566
finger1572
to make stay of1572
embarge1585
cap1590
reprehend1598
prehenda1605
embar1647
nap1665
nab1686
bone1699
roast1699
do1784
touch1785
pinch1789
to pull up1799
grab1800
nick1806
pull1811
hobble1819
nail1823
nipper1823
bag1824
lag1847
tap1859
snaffle1860
to put the collar on1865
copper1872
to take in1878
lumber1882
to pick up1887
to pull in1893
lift1923
drag1924
to knock off1926
to put the sleeve on1930
bust1940
pop1960
vamp1970
society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > arrest > [verb (transitive)] > make police raid on
pull1811
1811 Lexicon Balatronicum (at cited word) To be pulled; to be arrested by a police officer.
c1811 in J. S. Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 77 He had twice been pull'd,..but got off by going to sea.
1844 C. Dickens Let. 24 Mar. (1977) IV. 83 I confess I have a strong personal desire to ‘pull’ Mr. Lancaster;..and make a Bow-street application in regard of his swindling in Charity's name.
1846 National Police Gaz. (U.S.) 28 Feb. 224/1 Officer Low ‘pulled’ Bill Smith.
1894 Cent. Mag. Feb. 519 I hate to see a lad get pulled for ridin' a train.
1931 ‘D. Stiff’ Milk & Honey Route 189 He's pulled for a vag, his excuses won't do. ‘Thirty days,’ said the judge.
1988 New Musical Express 27 Feb. 5/2 To my knowledge, the police pulled two people out of about 350..for drugs related offences.
1996 Independent 22 Feb. ii. 24/3 She and Derrick—customs officers always work in pairs—decide to ‘pull’ the man with the five o'clock shadow.
b. transitive. Originally and chiefly U.S. To subject to a police raid. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1871 Figaro 15 Apr. 5/2 The police ‘pulled’ every Keno establishment in the city. ‘Pulling’ is the slang for seizing the instruments, and arresting the players and proprietors.
1877 Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Weekly Times 6 Sept. The police ‘pulled’ the establishment, and the proprietor appeared before Judge Leach to answer on three counts.
1907 J. Masefield Tarpaulin Muster 205 The police entered..and ‘pulled the joint’—that is, they arrested and fined the proprietor.
1957 Charleston (W. Va.) Gaz. 19 Apr. 8/7 Jimmie..retorted that it was good to have a union man in the White House and to be careful who played that piano or he would ‘pull the joint’.
29. intransitive. Of an animal or bird (originally a hawk): to pluck or tear at food; to feed upon by snatches.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > tearing or tearing apart > tear [verb (intransitive)] > make a tear
tear1526
pull1826
the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > push and pull [verb (intransitive)] > pull > sharply
twitchc1300
pluck?a1430
twanga1678
yank1822
pull1826
1773 J. Campbell Treat. Mod. Faulconry xl. 253 Give to your hawk, when she is stuffed in the head with cold, the rump of a cow or sheep on the block, to tear at; and the violent pulling will make the water to fly out of her nares.]
1826 J. S. Sebright Observ. Hawking 14 [The young hawk may be] allowed for a short time to pull upon a stump or pinion, from which he can get but little meat.
1883 F. H. Salvin & W. Brodrick Falconry in Brit. Isles (new ed.) Gloss. Pull through the hood, to eat through the aperture in the front of the hood.
1888 F. Hume Madame Midas i. iii. 28 The cattle..lingering..to pull at a particularly tempting tuft of bush grass growing in the moist ditches which ran along each side of the highway.
1891 J. E. Harting Gloss. Falconry Tiring,..any tough piece (as the leg of a fowl with little on) given to a hawk when in training to pull at, in order to prolong the meal.
1961 D. Rewald & E. L. Rewald tr. B. Grzimek & M. Grzimek Serengeti shall not Die iv. 81 The children [of lions] seemed to be permitted to do as they liked, even to the extent of pulling at the meat in the mouth of the lord and master.
1987 A. R. Ammons Sumerian Vistas 20 I expect the crows will come and peck it..the way they do squirrels killed on the streets: pulling at the long, small intestines.
1993 W. Baldwin Hard to catch Mercy i. 5 The cows were pulling at smilax vines, their backs to us.
30. transitive. Chiefly U.S. To stretch and draw (sugar candy, etc.) until it is smooth and ready to set.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation for table or cooking > preparing confectionery > prepare confection [verb (transitive)] > stretch candy
pull1834
1834 [implied in: New Eng. Mag. July 46 (heading) A Kentucky candy pulling. (at candy pulling n. at candy n.1 Additions)].
1842 W. T. Thompson in Southern Miscellany 10 Dec. 2/6 They's pullin lasses candy in the parlor.
1893 Harper's Mag. Feb. 442 He pulled candy with glee, but also with eager industry, covering platter after platter with his braided sticks.
1948 Good Housek. Cookery Bk. iii. 637 Certain toffees..are pulled, which gives them a satiny, silvery look. Attractive effects are achieved by combining pulled and unpulled toffee before cutting it into cushions. The toffee should be pulled immediately it is cool enough to handle.
2006 Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) (Nexis) 23 May Old-fashioned birthday parties, where children can dress in bonnets and coonskin caps, hear pioneer stories and pull taffy.
31. transitive. Sport. Originally, in Cricket: to strike (a ball) from the off to the leg side; to strike a ball delivered by (a bowler) in this way. Later more generally (esp. in golf and baseball): to strike (the ball) in the direction of one's follow-through, so that it travels to the left (or, with a left-handed player, the right). Also intransitive.Cf. pull n.1 9f, draw v. 30.
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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > bat [verb (transitive)] > hit > hit with specific stroke
take1578
stop1744
nip1752
block1772
drive1773
cut1816
draw1816
tip1816
poke1836
spoon1836
mow1844
to put up1845
smother1845
sky1849
crump1850
to pick up1851
pull1851
skyrocket1851
swipe1851
to put down1860
to get away1868
smite1868
snick1871
lift1874
crack1882
smack1882
off-drive1888
snip1890
leg1892
push1893
hook1896
flick1897
on-drive1897
chop1898
glance1898
straight drive1898
cart1903
edge1904
tonk1910
sweep1920
mishook1934
middle1954
square-drive1954
tickle1963
square-cut1976
slash1977
splice1982
paddle1986
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > play golf [verb (transitive)] > type of play or stroke
drive1743
draw1842
heel1857
hook1857
loft1857
founder1878
to top a ball1881
chip1889
duff1890
pull1890
slice1890
undercut1891
hack1893
toe1893
spoon1896
borrow1897
overdrive1900
trickle1902
bolt1909
niblick1909
socket1911
birdie1921
eagle1921
shank1925
explode1926
bird1930
three-putt1946
bogey1948
double-bogey1952
fade1953
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > play baseball [verb (transitive)] > actions of batter
pop1867
foul1870
poke1880
pole1882
bunch1883
line1887
to foul off1888
rip1896
sacrifice1905
pickle1906
to wait out1909
pull1912
single1916
pinch-hit1929
nub1948
tag1961
tomahawk1978
1851 W. Clarke Pract. Hints Cricket in W. Bolland Cricket Notes 143 Never try to pull a straight ball across you.
1884 James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Ann. ii. iii. 122 His tendency to ‘pull’ lost him his wicket more than once.
1890 W. Simpson in H. G. Hutchinson et al. Golf (Badminton Libr. of Sports & Pastimes) 201 When approaching off the right leg it is quite exceptional for the Golfer to pull.
1894 Westm. Gaz. 30 June 6/2 At 119 Briggs was bowled in attempting to pull Martin.
1899 Westm. Gaz. 25 Aug. 3/1 Errors of style which cause you to top, slice, or pull your strokes [at golf].
1901 Scotsman 9 Sept. 4/7 At the fifth Vardon pulled his second under a fence.
1912 C. Mathewson Pitching in Pinch i. 5 On a slow one he swings clear around and pulls it to right field.
1943 Amer. Speech 18 105 If he can pull or place the ball he has a better chance of getting a hit.
1970 R. Coover Universal Baseball Assoc. Inc. i. 6 Wilson swung at the first pitch..pulling it down the line.
1994 Wisden Cricket Monthly June 25/1 Lara..pulled a delivery from Chris Lewis for four to the square-leg fence at St John's Recreation Ground.
32. transitive and intransitive. New Zealand. Of a sheepdog: to draw (sheep) towards the shepherd or handler.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > dogs used for specific purposes > [verb (transitive)] > bring sheep towards master
pull?a1880
?a1880 G. L. Meredith Adventuring in Maoriland (1935) v. 47 [The dog] eventually ‘pulled’ the mob on the slope of a hill.
1933 L. G. D. Acland in Press (Christchurch, N.Z.) 21 Oct. 15 The term f[orce] is also applied to the ability of a heading dog to pull sheep.
1934 J. Lilico Sheep Dog Mem. 4 Once you have a strong-eyed dog trained to pull he does so with care and control of sheep.
1949 C. W. G. Hartley Shepherd's Dog 3 Where there is a likelihood of the dog ‘setting’ sheep and failing to lift or pull.
1978 D. G. Jardine Shadows on Hill 7 Steve had told him to pull a small mob down to the flat ‘to see what your heading dog is like’; she pulled too hard and nearly put them over a bluff.
2006 Country-Wide (N.Z.) June 71 The fence helps to steady the sheep as Pat learns to balance and pull the sheep towards me.
33. transitive. To haul up or withdraw (casing, etc.) from a well, esp. an oil well.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > drilling for oil or gas > drill for oil or gas [verb (transitive)] > other procedures
to fang a pump, (loosely) a well1819
to rack up1839
shootc1870
torpedo1873
pull1895
sidetrack1906
swab1916
stab1922
re-enter1937
rack1949
1895 Lima (Ohio) Times-Democrat 14 May Employes [sic] of the A. A. Scott company, of Lima, were here to-day and pulled the casing from the duster well on the Kleinhaus farm.
1916 R. H. Johnson & L. G. Huntley Princ. Oil & Gas Production xiv. 154 The hole in most cases gradually fills up at the bottom with cavings from the walls and sometimes from the roof of the oil sand. This makes it necessary to pull the tubing and clean the well.
1960 C. Gatlin Petroleum Engin. x. 170/1 A sudden decrease in penetration rate..may mean that the inner barrel is jammed or plugged and the assembly should be pulled for inspection.
1974 P. L. Moore et al. Drilling Pract. Man. xii. 308 If the well kicks when pulling the drill string, the formation fluid will enter the entire well bore below the drill string.
1997 Houston (Texas) Chron. (Nexis) 30 July (Business section) 1 (caption) Crew working for an alliance between Halliburton Co. and Global Industries pulls casing (pipe) after plugging the well on an abandonment project.
34. transitive. Bookbinding. To take (a book) to pieces; to disbind. Cf. to pull to pieces at sense 14c.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > book > manufacture or production of books > book-binding > bind [verb (transitive)] > other processes
to knock up1660
glair1755
board1813
lace1818
crop1824
beback1858
plough1873
cord1876
to throw out1880
guillotine1896
pull1901
reback1901
super1914
1901 D. Cockerell Bookbinding i. ii. 34 If the book should prove to be imperfect..the owner should be communicated with, before it is pulled to pieces. This is very important, as imperfect books that have been ‘pulled’ are not returnable to the bookseller.
1931 A. Esdaile Student's Man. Bibliogr. vi. 194 The book must be ‘pulled’, i.e. taken to pieces, first.
1982 M. T. Roberts & D. Etherington Bookbinding & Conservation Bks. 207/2 A book has been ‘pulled’ when the case or covers have been removed, the spine lining and/or old glue has been cleared off,..and all the sections have been separated from each other.
35. transitive. Boxing. To strike (a blow) with less than full force. See also to pull one's punches at Phrases 15.
ΚΠ
1907 Trenton (New Jersey) Evening Times 14 May 11/1 It only took me a round to notice that O'Brien was pulling his blows. He would apparently swing hard, but draw back the punch just before it landed.
1910 Washington Post 30 Apr. 9/5 (headline) Langford is ‘lenient’. Experts claim Negro ‘pulls’ punches against Ketchel.
1973 P. O'Donnell Silver Mistress xi. 191 It was a demonstration match. The kicks, chops and punches were pulled at the last instant.
1990 Phoenix New Times (Nexis) 19 Sept. 99 [He] suddenly shoots a left hook into Chris' right kidney, pulling the punch before it can do any damage.
36. intransitive. American Football. Of an offensive lineman (esp. a guard): to withdraw from the line of scrimmage and cross behind it to block opposing players and clear the way for a runner. Also with out.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > American football > play American football [verb (intransitive)] > actions or manoeuvres
rush1873
return1884
block1889
goal1900
drive1902
interfere1920
submarine1925
lateral1927
lateral1930
pull1933
to hand off1937
shovel pass1948
bootleg1951
scramble1964
spear1964
blitz1965
convert1970
1933 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 9 Oct. 16/4 Michigan has a new line-up for the guards, facing backwards instead of forward on the line of scrimmage. The idea is that they can start faster on end runs than they could if they had to pull out backwards.
1938 Appleton (Wisconsin) Post-Crescent 20 Sept. 14/8 Dick Emblick, soph guard, pulled the wrong way on a play and collided with Veteran Lynn Hovland.
1958 M. Machlin in M. J. Bruccoli Conversat. with Ernest Hemingway (2001) 132 I started to explain how the outside tackle pulled out to run interference.
2005 Washington Post 7 Dec. (Sports section) 1 Those are but two of Washington's running plays that feature Thomas pulling from his right guard position..to serve as a lead blocker.
37. transitive. North American. To facilitate the birth of (a calf, lamb, etc.) manually.
ΚΠ
1971 Nevada State Jrnl. 8 July 24/8 He said his son probably has more experience ‘pulling calves’ than many veterinarians.
1986 P. Behrens Wanda in Night Driving (1987) 28 First calf I ever pulled was stillborn.
2004 S. Jorrín Sylvia's Farm 200 I..saw an incorrect presentation. Head, no feet. I promptly penned her in one of the new jugs, pulled the lamb, and put it next to her.
38. transitive. Computing. To extract or retrieve (a piece of data, etc.) from the top of a stack (stack n. 1f). Opposed to push v. 1h.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > take [verb (transitive)] > take again or back > take back
resume1404
to take again1474
revoke1526
reclaim1530
to fetch again1535
to take back1568
reducec1595
reassume1609
revicta1656
reassert1704
pull1985
society > computing and information technology > data > database > use data [verb (transitive)] > prepare a stack > retrieve from a stack
pop1962
pull1985
1967 Proc. AFIPS Conf. 30 495/1 The cycle time is 1 μsec for either write and push down one step or read and pull up one step.]
1985 Austral. Personal Computer Oct. 181/3 The inverse operation, taking a number from the stack, is called ‘pulling’ the number, or ‘popping’ it from the stack.
2002 Electronic Engin. Times (Nexis) 2 Sept. 66 Its memory-to-memory architecture allows a single instruction to pull a value off the stack, perform an operation and push the result back onto the stack.

Phrases

†P1. to pull an old house on one's head and variants: to bring trouble on oneself. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 93 You shall pull an old house ouer your owne head by a further prouocation.
1642 C. Vernon Considerations Excheqver 88 Wary how they pull an old house upon their owne heads.
1739 J. Hildrop Ess. Free-thinking 7 He..will have good Luck if he does not pull an old House upon his Head.
1762 J. Mitchell Female Pilgrim 234 He must be repeating his grievances amongst some of the domesticks; which occasioned him trouble enough, and pulled an old house about his ears, as you shall hear by and by.
1861 ‘G. Eliot’ Silas Marner iii. 53 You'll have less pleasure in pulling the house over my head, when your own skull's to be broken too.]
P2. to pull caps: to quarrel or struggle, esp. in a noisy or undignified manner; to contend for. Similarly to pull wigs. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > dissent > quarrel or quarrelling > quarrel [verb (intransitive)] > in undignified manner
to pull caps1701
to pull wigs1701
1701 S. Hill Rights, Liberties, & Authorities Christian Church vi. 108 For fear the poor distracted Bishops and Priest should..mutiny and pull Caps about Methods.
1749 J. Cleland Mem. Woman of Pleasure I. 99 Oh, he was such a beauty!..they would pull caps for him!
1778 F. Burney Evelina III. xviii. 207 If either of you have any inclination to pull caps for the title of Miss Belmont, you must do it with all speed.
1806 ‘P. Pindar’ Tristia 162 Seven cities of the Grecian world Pull'd wigs, pull'd caps.
1823 J. Simpson Ricardo the Outlaw II. 183 A man..for whom half the females of Paris were pulling caps.
1863 G. O. Trevelyan in Macmillan's Mag. Dec. 124/2 Twelve halls of justice might be provided—for the worst of which the judges at Westminster would pull wigs.
1882 C. M. Yonge Unknown to Hist. II. xxiii. 4 Well! we will not pull caps for him just yet.
1904 Evening Herald (Syracuse, N.Y.) 6 Jan. 5/3 Theatrical managers are pulling caps for her, and she can command a salary which a respectable woman might work for half a lifetime without being able to attain.
P3. pull devil, pull baker (also †parson, tailor, etc.) and variants: formerly used to incite two persons or parties to greater efforts in a contest for the possession of something; later in allusive use to suggest the vigorous contesting of something by two parties (sometimes attributive, or as adv.). Also as n.: a vigorous struggle or contest. Similarly (occasionally) pull dog, pull cat. [A comic tug of war between the Devil and a baker appears to have been a popular subject of English puppet shows and magic lantern shows in the 18th and early 19th centuries (see further G. Speaight in Notes & Queries 198 (1953) 286–8); compare:
1764 Beauties All Mag. Sel. III. 90/2 He dances punch inimitably..to the great diversion of all present; or opens his magic lanthorn and gives you pull baker, pull devil, in their gaudiest colours.
1816 W. Scott Old Mortality ix, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. IV. 182 Then my mother and her quarrelled, and pu'ed me twa ways at ance,..like Punch and the Deevil rugging about the Baker at the fair.
1823 W. Hone Anc. Myst. Described viii. 231 In 1818, a man..‘compassed a motion of the Prodigal Son’ by dancing his transparencies between the magnifying glass and candle of a magic lanthorn... There was also Noah's Ark, with Pull Devil, Pull Baker, or the just judgment upon a baker who sold bread short of weight, and was carried to hell in his own basket.
1850 H. Mayhew in Morning Chron. 28 Feb. 5/4 A very ingenious and intelligent man to whom I was referred, as the best in his trade, gave me the following account of magic lanterns... ‘I have known the business of magic lantern making thirty-five years. It was then no better than the common galantee shows in the streets, Punch and Judy, or any peepshow or common thing. There was no science and no art about it. It went on so for some time—just grotesque things for children, as Pull devil and pull baker.’
]
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > dissent > contention or strife > incitement to effort [interjection]
pull devil, pull baker (also parson, tailor, etc.)1778
pull dog, pull cat1778
society > society and the community > dissent > contention or strife > [adjective] > that is the subject of contention > strongly contested
stiffc1250
hard-fought1633
well-disputed1654
pull devil, pull baker (also parson, tailor, etc.)1778
ding-dong1795
1778 G. Huddesford Warley I. 23 See the Devil intercepting, Tries to knock him off his Steed; Honest Paul in time has stepp'd in,..Two to One is Odds at Foot-Ball. The foul Fiend is pressed sore... Now pull Devil, Paul, and Baker, Devil to the Spittle goes.
1787 G. Colman Rolliad ii, in Prose Several Occasions II. 297 I have seen in Jack o'Lanthorn quick, Fierce Battle 'twixt a Baker and Old Nick;..Now here, now there, in contest most uncivil. Pull Tom, pull Nick, pull Baker, and pull Devil.
1789 J. Byng Diary 1 June in Torrington Diaries (1938) IV. 107 In London She is lost in the confusion of Dresses and Perfume; Countess, or Courtezan, all alike; Dress or deed; ‘Pull Devil, Pull Baker’.
1792 J. Wolcot Odes to Kien Long ii. 128 That most important contest then is o'er; Pull Dev'l, pull Parson, will be seen no more.
1828 J. Abernethy Lect. Anat. 276 It is such a regular pull-baker pull-devil concern, it is quite shocking.
1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. x. 129 ‘Pull devil; pull baker!’ cried the women.
1905 Westm. Gaz. 21 Mar. 2/1 In practice tariffs are determined by the pull-devil-pull-baker principle.
1907 Daily Chron. 22 Mar. 3/4 It's pull dog, pull cat wi' man and woman, ever since the days of the apple.
1932 Times Lit. Suppl. 18 Feb. 101/4 This game of nationalist pull-devil pull-baker will not be played out to its finish on an empty field.
1948 E. Forbes Running of Tide x. 446 He had her by the right arm, but Lover Birch leaned down and took her left. Pull devil, pull tailor, flashed through Peter's head.
1966 Listener 15 Sept. 371/2 In education as in other fields it is a question of pull devil pull baker.
1994 Times (Nexis) 20 May Pull devil, pull baker. The clue to this never-ending ride on the seesaw is simply that God is not mocked. Let us stop thinking in terms of rats, and broaden the problem.
P4. to pull the longbow: see longbow n. Phrases.
P5.
a. colloquial (chiefly U.S. and Caribbean). to pull foot: to take to one's heels, run away; to hurry, run as fast as possible. Formerly also †to pull it in same sense.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > go away [verb (intransitive)] > run away or flee
fleec825
afleeeOE
atrina1000
atfleec1000
to run awayOE
to turn to or into flighta1225
to turn the ridgec1225
atrenc1275
atshakec1275
to give backa1300
flemec1300
startc1330
to take (on oneself) the flighta1500
to take the back upon oneselfa1500
fly1523
to take (also betake) (oneself) to one's legs1530
to flee one's way1535
to take to one's heels1548
flought?1567
fuge1573
to turn taila1586
to run off1628
to take flighta1639
refugea1641
to run for it1642
to take leg1740
to give (also take) leg-bail1751
bail1775
sherry1788
to pull foot1792
fugitate1830
to tail off (out)1830
to take to flight1840
to break (strike, etc.) for (the) tall timber1845
guy1879
to give leg (or legs)1883
rabbit1887
to do a guy1889
high-tail1908
to have it on one's toes1958
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > going swiftly on foot > go swiftly on foot [verb (intransitive)] > run > run fast or at full speed
to pull it1792
to run (also be off) like a redshank1809
sky1824
tattera1825
peel1860
pelter1906
hare1908
1792 Trials at Large II. 113 He pulled Foot over Essex-bridge, and down towards the Piazzas in Essex-street, and witness ran after him, crying, stop robber!
1804 T. G. Fessenden Orig. Poems 98 She flew straight out of sight, As fast as she could pull it.
a1818 M. G. Lewis Jrnl. W. India Proprietor (1834) 109 One of my ladies chose to pull foot, and did not return..till this morning.
1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle's Log I. xi. 351 The whole crew pulled foot as if Old Nick had held them in chase.
1876 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Words Whitby Pull feeat. ‘Thoo'l hae te pull feeat te owertak 'em’.
1922 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 15 Sept. 16/3 We wriggled backward out of sight. Then, rising, we turned and pulled foot for our canoe.
1954 Western Folklore 13 24 The fourteen-year-old Willie Kelley..decided that the game was not worth the candle and decided to pull foot out of the Big Bend region.
1989 J. D'Costa & B. Calla Voices in Exile 31 Peter him pull foot one day..Peter was a runaway.
2002 G. Vanderhaeghe Last Crossing xvii. 191 Just you see if I don't run those scoundrels off in short order... ‘I won't say it again. Pull foot.’
b. U.S. regional (chiefly western). to pull one's freight: to depart, esp. quickly; to get going. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > go away [verb (intransitive)] > go away suddenly or hastily
fleec825
runOE
swervea1225
biwevec1275
skip1338
streekc1380
warpa1400
yerna1400
smoltc1400
stepc1460
to flee (one's) touch?1515
skirr1548
rubc1550
to make awaya1566
lope1575
scuddle1577
scoura1592
to take the start1600
to walk off1604
to break awaya1616
to make off1652
to fly off1667
scuttle1681
whew1684
scamper1687
whistle off1689
brush1699
to buy a brush1699
to take (its, etc.) wing1704
decamp1751
to take (a) French leave1751
morris1765
to rush off1794
to hop the twig1797
to run along1803
scoot1805
to take off1815
speela1818
to cut (also make, take) one's lucky1821
to make (take) tracks (for)1824
absquatulize1829
mosey1829
absquatulate1830
put1834
streak1834
vamoose1834
to put out1835
cut1836
stump it1841
scratch1843
scarper1846
to vamoose the ranch1847
hook1851
shoo1851
slide1859
to cut and run1861
get1861
skedaddle1862
bolt1864
cheese it1866
to do a bunkc1870
to wake snakes1872
bunk1877
nit1882
to pull one's freight1884
fooster1892
to get the (also to) hell out (of)1892
smoke1893
mooch1899
to fly the coop1901
skyhoot1901
shemozzle1902
to light a shuck1905
to beat it1906
pooter1907
to take a run-out powder1909
blow1912
to buzz off1914
to hop it1914
skate1915
beetle1919
scram1928
amscray1931
boogie1940
skidoo1949
bug1950
do a flit1952
to do a scarper1958
to hit, split or take the breeze1959
to do a runner1980
to be (also get, go) ghost1986
1884 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 12 Sept. 4/6 The stockmen and settlers in that disputed territory have decided to peaceably obey the order..notifying all white occupants of Greer county to pull their freight within a certain given length of time.
1885 C. A. Siringo Texas Cow Boy 8 I spied a large drove on ahead, pulling their freight for the water.
1913 J. London Valley of Moon ii. xvii. 277 I guess we got a celebration comin', seein' as we're going to pull up stakes an' pull our freight from the old burg.
1943 Maryville (Missouri) Daily Forum 4 May 4/3 McGillis has pulled his freight, but I got Haines an' Shallet put away nice an' snug, an' we just caught Deckerman down below.
P6. to pull the strings: see string n. 1i. to pull the wires: see wire n.1 5b.
P7.
a. to pull a person's leg: to deceive a person humorously or playfully; to tease a person.
ΚΠ
1852 Arctic Misc. v. 131 A chapter will be also given on the most approved method of pulling a leg, or what is generally known and called getting it on a stretch.
1859 Always Ready xvii. 236 ‘I know you are pulling my leg,’ continued he, ‘but I'll tell you candidly what it is, Harry—we shall both miss you.’
1883 Wellsboro (Pa.) Agitator 20 Feb. 1/5 The Chinese giant once told me he had half a dozen wives at home, but I think he was pulling my leg.
1888 W. B. Churchward ‘Blackbirding’ in S. Pacific 216 Then I shall be able to pull the leg of that chap Mike.
1905 Athenæum 22 July 122/3 We..suspect that some Irish harper was ‘pulling the author's leg’ when he gave it.
1946 C. Bush Case Second Chance i. 8 I tried to pull his leg about the grave loss he had suffered when the Army had called me up.
1976 F. A. Hoffmann in V. Randolph Pissing in Snow ix. 18 (note) Everyone harbors the wish that he can be ready with an appropriate rejoinder when someone attempts to pull his leg or make him the butt of a joke.
2000 I. Welsh in N. Hornby Speaking with Angel 174 He punched me lightly on the shoulder.—C'mon Joe, I'm only pulling your leg,..he said.
b. British. pull the other one (it's got bells on) and variants: used as a rejoinder to being told something which makes one suspect that one is being deceived or teased.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > disbelief, incredulity > expressing disbelief [phrase]
do you mean to say (also to tell me)1763
you don't mean to say (also to tell me)1763
tell that to the marines1806
in a horn1847
you are (or have got to be) joking1907
tie that bull outside or to another ashcan1921
you could have fooled me1926
you wouldn't read about it1950
pull the other one (it's got bells on)1966
1966 D. Francis Flying Finish v. 63 ‘They are English mares going to be mated with Italian sires,’ explained Conker... ‘Pull the other one, it's got bells on,’ said the engineer.
1973 ‘S. Woods’ Enter Corpse 112 ‘Believe it or not, neither Farrell nor I has the slightest interest in the gold...’ ‘Pull the other one!’ said Nelson derisively.
1991 M. Nicholson Martha Jane & Me (1992) xxvii. 220 ‘I wonder if you defend me when he runs me down.’ ‘He never does,’ I said. ‘Pull the other one. It's got bells on it.’
2004 A. Levy Small Island xxxvii. 363 ‘The Japs have surrendered,’ Maxi informed me. ‘Pull the other one,’ I told him. Everyone knows Japs don't surrender.
P8. to pull a face: see face n. Phrases 2.
P9. to pull the plug: see plug n. Phrases.
P10. to pull one's weight: (originally) to row with effect in proportion to one's weight (cf. sense 25b); (now usually figurative) to perform one's due share of work, take one's share of responsibility.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > be occupied or busy (in or at something) [verb (intransitive)] > be involved in or have to do with something > play one's part
to play one's prize1565
to do one's stuff1663
to pull one's weight1878
to stand one's corner1878
society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > [verb (intransitive)] > row > row in specific manner or style
sheave1611
to pull away1676
paddle1697
to stretch one's oars1697
to stretch to the oar (or stroke)1697
to row dry1769
to stretch out1836
screw1866
bucket1869
to pull one's weight1878
sky1881
to wash out1884
society > occupation and work > working > [verb (intransitive)] > do one's share of work
to pull one's weight1921
1878 Times 11 Mar. 10/3 He is neither a big man nor does he seem strong, still he rows fairly well, pulls his weight, and works neatly.
1897 Daily News 10 Feb. 6/3 In boating phraseology, he ‘pulled his weight’;..he was not a mere passenger.
1904 R. Kipling Traffics & Discov. 278 They need a lot of working up before they can pull their weight in the boat.
1921 Brit. Weekly 6 Oct. 2/3 There was a general..belief that people round us were not pulling their weight.
1927 Observer 22 May 15/1 Mr. E—— T——..has never..failed to pull his weight in a production.
1948 M. Laski Tory Heaven x. 138 Lord Starveleigh asked him down to address the electors... We're all expected to pull our weight, you know.
2004 S. Hall Electric Michelangelo 131 About time you started pulling your weight around here, lad. Wondered when you'd get your finger out of your arse.
P11. North American regional (western). to pull leather: to grasp the saddle horn or saddle in order to avoid being thrown from a bucking horse.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride a horse (or other animal) [verb (intransitive)] > grasp the saddle horn
to pull leather1902
1893 O. Wister Out West: Jrnls. & Lett. (1958) 198 To hunt leather, to hold on by the horn of the saddle, or any strap or string.]
1902 McClure's Mag. Dec. 218 Sowder came down off his balance, and he bent to save himself, his right hand reaching down. ‘Pulled leather!’ some one shouted.
1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 19 July 5/4 They [sc. bad horses] are still outlaws and..are guaranteed to send almost any rider to pulling leather.
1940 Chicago Sunday Tribune 29 Sept. iii. 7/2 The convenient horn is a constant temptation to ‘pull leather’ in an emergency, which is bad riding.
1961 Winnipeg Free Press 28 Jan. 19/1 I have never seen him pull leather or get thrown from a bucking horse.
P12. colloquial. to pull (something) out of the bag: to produce or achieve (something) unexpectedly.
ΚΠ
1920 Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram 8 Nov. 12/2 An epoch-making match in which every man had pulled his best game out of the bag.
1927 Warren (Pa.) Tribune 2 June 6/5 Pennant clubs save many games at the finish. The Giants so far have pulled thre [sic] out of the bag.
1958 P. White Let. 8 Feb. (1994) v. 129 He accuses me of being child of a faithless generation—like Sartre. Fancy pulling that one out of the bag.
2005 Independent (Nexis) 19 Dec. 67 At Perpignan they pulled out of the bag what Davies described as one of their ‘best ever performances’.
P13. coarse slang. to pull one's (or the) pud (also pudding, wire, etc.): (of a man) to masturbate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > masturbation > masturbate [verb (intransitive)]
frig1598
mastuprate1623
masturbate1839
to jerk off1865
rub1902
to rub up1902
wank1905
to jack off1916
to pull one's (or the) pud (also pudding, wire, etc.)1927
to toss off1927
to play pocket billiards1940
to beat one's meat1948
to wank off1951
whack1969
to choke the chicken1975
fap2001
1927 Immortalia 45 His greatest sport Was pulling his royal pud.
1928 in A. W. Read Lexical Evid. from Folk Epigraphy (1935) 71 Some come here to shit and stink But I come here to pull my pud for Waterloo women are no good.
c1930 G. de Montalk in A. R. D. Fairburn Let. 1 Feb. (1981) 31 He says..that all non-fucking England..are pulling their duffs.
a1935 T. E. Lawrence Mint (1955) 96 You should leave off pulling your plonk.
1937 E. Partridge Dict. Slang 666/2 Pull one's wire.
1951 E. Partridge Dict. Slang Suppl. 1056/1 Pull one's pudding,..may have originated pull one's wire.
1970 J. Osborne Right Prospectus 30 Remember what I said about sex. Keep away from the maids and pretty boys. As for pulling your wire, that's no occupation for a gentleman.
1987 Melody Maker 15 Aug. 27/4 We pulled the pud until the sun came up. Yes, we are not ashamed..we beat the meat, we played on Percy The Piccolo.
2002 Seattle Weekly (Nexis) 4 Apr. 96 My completely unscientific study found that women wank more when they're getting laid regularly; men pull the pud slightly less.
P14. colloquial (originally U.S.). to pull the rug (out) from under and variants: to withdraw support abruptly or unexpectedly from; to let down, betray, or undermine suddenly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > fail in [verb (transitive)] > cause to fail > weaken or unsettle (possibly causing failure)
to pull the rug (out) from under1928
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > disappointment > be disappointed [verb (intransitive)] > let down
to pull down1636
to pull the rug (out) from under1928
1928 Davenport (Iowa) Democrat & Leader 11 Oct. 18/1 Governor Ritchie of Maryland pulled the rug out from under all the political bigots Wednesday evening in his speech in Chicago.
1938 Los Angeles Times 9 May ii. 4/4 It placed Mike under a severe handicap. So Mike pulled the rug out from under Bro. Peckham's postcards [sc. a political poll sent on postcards].
1946 Time 23 Dec. 17/3 Strikes, for instance, would pull the rug out from under the best of prospects.
1966 ‘W. Haggard’ Power House xvi. 179 James Mott had Victor's story... At the worst it could pull the carpet out.
1967 A. Hunter Gently Continental ix. 132 The mat is pulled from under Shelton when he dares to assent to this point.
1984 J. Archer First among Equals (1985) xxiii. 290 We were overdrawn seven mill and then the bank decided to pull the rug from under my feet.
2002 R. Ramakers Droog Design in Context 34 It was a brilliant idea that pulled the rug out from under the too obvious notion of a capsule.
P15. to pull one's punches: (figurative) to use less force than one is capable of exerting; to be gentle or lenient, esp. in criticism. Frequently in negative contexts. Similarly to pull no punches: to be unsparingly critical. Cf. earlier punch-pulling n. at punch n.2 Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > lack of strictness > lessen in strictness or severity [verb (transitive)] > be lenient to
to make it fair witha1425
to ride (one) in, on, or with the snaffle1577
to pull one's punches1931
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > restrained or moderate behaviour > behave with moderation or restraint [verb (intransitive)]
to keep (also observe) measure(s) (also a measure)a1500
to use a mean1607
go-easy1860
to pull one's punches1931
to go slow1962
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > boxing > box [verb (intransitive)] > give in
to sky the wipe (or towel)1907
to roll with the punches1910
to pull one's punches1931
to lead with one's chin1949
1931 San Mateo (Calif.) Times 23 Nov. 12/6 Couldn't the critics just pull their punches for a while and help things get started along Broadway?
1932 Mansfield (Ohio) News 13 Oct. 9/3 Reed did not pull his punches in any respect. He pictured Mr. Hoover as the one primarily responsible for deflation of the farmer after the war.
1939 L. Jacobs Rise of Amer. Film 459 Either because Vidor ‘pulled his punches’ at the revolution or because..he was confused.
1946 Cosmopolitan Oct. 6/2 He pulls no punches. Tunes he doesn't like are tagged ‘smelodies’ and he has a ‘best smeller list’.
1977 Time Out 28 Jan. 33/3 The film pulls all its political punches, settling instead for sentimental narrative.
2002 P. Augar & J. Palmer Rise Player Manager vii. 150 Nicola was certainly pulling no punches with her interpretation of her weaknesses.
P16. Cinematography and Television. to pull focus: to adjust the focus of the camera while it is filming, either to keep a moving subject in sharp focus or for cinematic effect (for example, redirecting the focus and the audience's attention to another subject). Cf. focus puller n. at focus n. Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1936 Electrician 15 May 638/1 All normal activities.., such as pulling focus, panning, etc., are available with the same facility.
1947 R. Keene in L. Lee & R. Keene We made Film in Cyprus ii. 78 Towards the end he even learnt to ‘pull focus’.
1972 Amer. Cinematographer (Electronic ed.) Nov. It has to be the cameraman himself who's pulling focus on this sort of shoot.
1998 C. A. Griffith in J. Bobo Black Women Film & Video Artists ix. 154 He'd hired me over a long list of others because I pulled focus.
2010 M. Browning David Fincher i. 4 Fincher pulls focus so we cut from a blurred close-up of wire mesh to a clear shot of the man hitting a fence.
P17. U.S. slang. to pull a person's coat: (in African-American use) to give a person information; to tip a person off, to give warning.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > information > action of informing > give information [verb (intransitive)] > special or private
winka1500
hark?a1600
whisper1850
tip1903
to pull a person's coat1946
1946 M. Mezzrow & B. Wolfe Really Blues 377/2 Pull somebody's coat, enlighten, tip somebody off.
1968 E. Cleaver Soul on Ice iv. ii. 198 Look here, baby, pull my coat to what's going down!
1974 D. Goines Daddy Cool ii. 25 ‘I said she is tryin' to pull your coat that I slapped the shit out of her,’ Daddy Cool stated harshly.
2002 S. Holmes B-More Careful xviii. 197 Upon arriving at school, her cousin Stew pulled her coat to all the money to be made out there.
P18. to pull the lever: see lever n.1 Additions b.

Phrasal verbs

With adverbs in specialized senses. to pull about
transitive. To pull this way and that, to pull in various directions; (colloquial) to treat roughly or unceremoniously.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > violent behaviour > treat violently [verb (transitive)] > treat violently or roughly
to lay hands (or hand) on or upon (also in, to)OE
ransacka1400
attamec1430
ruffle1489
tug1493
to shear against the wool1546
rumble1570
finger1572
to pull about1679
misguggle1814
rowdy1825
to jerk around1833
scrag1835
rough1845
hooligan1898
roughhouse1898
savage1899
to rough up1915
to treat 'em rough1918
1679 J. Dryden Troilus & Cressida iv. ii. 53 The young Sparks do so pull him about, and hall him by the Cassock.
1742 H. Fielding Joseph Andrews II. iii. v. 96 Some of them..applying their Teeth to his Wig, which he had with a Handkerchief fastened to his Head, they began to pull him about . View more context for this quotation
1806 Courtship & Marriage Cock Robin (c1820) 14 In came the cuckoo..And caught hold of Jenny, And pulled her about.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xviii. 230 More than three years before, they had pulled him about and called him Hatchetface.
1865 W. White Eastern Eng. II. 67 He's hevin' his place pull'd about.
1898 Atlantic Monthly Feb. 238/2 They shouted his name in glee, embraced his legs, and pulled him about like affectionate young bears.
1903 E. F. Benson Act in Backwater xix. 311 If there is one thing I dread it is being pulled about by a professional man [i.e. a surgeon].
1969 B. Head When Rain Clouds Gather xii. 174 She..pulled the little girl about roughly as she dressed her for school, so nervous and unsettled did she feel.
1994 L. de Bernières Capt. Corelli's Mandolin xli. 247 Ow, ow, stop pulling it about, just be careful.
 to pull apart
transitive. To separate by pulling; to tear apart; to pull to pieces.
ΚΠ
1705 L. Crommelin Ess. Improving Hempen & Flaxen Manuf. ii. 8 These three sorts of Flax must be pulled apart.
1875 Manufacturer & Builder Sept. 203/1 The latter [joint] can not be pulled apart by a longitudinal strain, except by breaking the wood.
1958 D. S. Daniell Hunt Royal (1962) vi. 64 A brisk scuffle ensued until Frank pulled them apart.
1994 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 15 Oct. 31/182 New historicists..who would bend literature to ideology or pull it apart in the name of social justice.
2002 Loaded July 112/3 It's a fairly big cut of meat and it's so tender you pull it apart with your hands.
 to pull asunder
transitive. = to pull apart.
ΚΠ
c1400 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Trin. Cambr. R.3.14) (1960) A. viii. 101 (MED) Peris at his preyour þe pardoun vnfoldiþ..And piers for tene pulde [v.rr. pulled, pollede; plukked] it assondir.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus Distrahere cohærentia, to pull a sunder or seperate thyngs ioyned.
1599 Bp. J. King Lect. Ionas (new ed.) xl. 543 He shall rather teare it with his teeth, and pull it asunder with his nailes, than rightly divide it.
1639 J. Woodall Treat. Plague in Surgeons Mate (rev. ed.) 344 Take Saffron..then tease it, I meane, pull the parts thereof asunder.
1656 tr. T. Hobbes Elements Philos. iv. xxviii. 353 When we would pull one part of it from another, we first make the whole mass slenderer, before we can pull it asunder.
1796 C. Marshall Introd. Knowl. & Pract. Gardening v. 86 The roots..must be taken vp, and then carefully pulled, or cut asunder with a sharp instrument, as the case may require.
1826 W. Scott Woodstock I. viii. 204 To be now pulled asunder, broken piece-meal and reduced.
1936 E. A. Atkins & A. G. Walker Electr. Arc & Oxy-acetylene Welding (ed. 3) xxi. 304 The strength of a bar of metal can be defined as the greatest load which can be applied in an effort to pull it asunder longitudinally.
 to pull away
1. transitive.
a. To pluck, snatch, or draw away; to take away or remove, esp. by force; †to throw away, discard (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > forcibly tear off or away
tear1297
aracec1315
arachec1315
ravisha1382
pullc1390
to draw offa1398
roota1398
ripa1400
to pull awayc1410
to rip upc1425
brit1578
arrest1593
to carry away1604
avulsea1765
c1410 tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 185 Þe grave i-pulled away [L. revulsa], he spak to seint Cuthbert.
a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) iv. 871 Whan he gan awey the mantel pulle.
tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) iv. 153 (MED) And hem that shal of seedes puruey thee, Pulle euery blacke away that thou may fynde.
1566 J. Rastell Third Bk. beware of M. Iewel f. 161 Uigilius the Pope that gaue him such prerogatiue, may pull it away agayne from him.
1589 in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations i. 203 The Azamoglans, tribute children,..are collected from among the Christians, from whome..they are pulled away yeerely perforce.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes IV. vi. vii. 1230 They will not haue any haire grow on their eye-browes, nor on their chin, but still as it groweth they pull it away with a shell.
1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriotaphia: Urne-buriall ii. 23 Brazen nippers to pull away hair.
1722 D. Defoe Moll Flanders 259 Some body, she said, had try'd to pull her Watch away.
1756 J. Hawkesworth Amphitryon iii. 31 When I came to kiss you, you pull'd away your Mouth, and turn'd your Cheek to me.
1863 E. C. Gaskell Sylvia's Lovers III. iv. 72 Philip..took hold of her to pull her away; but Charley held her tight.
1894 E. Œ. Somerville & ‘M. Ross’ Real Charlotte III. xxxviii. 86 As she felt his fingers close hard round her hand..she pulled it away.
1942 J. W. Drawbell Dorothy Thompson's Eng. Journey ix. 83 She can hardly pull herself away from that cheerful, excited London throng.
1993 M. Russell Chief (Anglia TV shooting script) (O.E.D. Archive) 4th Ser. Episode 10. 61 The mortuary assistant pulls away the plastic sheeting which covers the body, to reveal Mato's face.
†b. to pull away the shoulder: (with allusion to Zechariah 7:11: see quot. 1560) to turn a deaf ear, to turn away. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > ignoring, disregard > ignore [verb (intransitive)]
overhipa1325
to hide one's facea1382
to look aside1530
to look beside ——1533
not to hear on that side1548
to look through the fingers1549
to pull away the shoulder1560
connive1602
to turn a (also the) blind eye1698
to bury (or hide) one's head in the sand1844
Nelson eye1893
not to want to know1948
1560 Bible (Geneva) Zech. vii. 11 They refused to hearken, & pulled away [c1384 Wycliffite, E.V. turneden awey; 1611 pulled away] the shulder, and stopped their eares, that they shulde not heare.
1610 J. Robinson Justif. Separation from Church of Eng. 252 And in this you confirm them, by your collection: teaching the offenders to pull away the shoulder, and to stop the eare, that they might not heare.
1681 J. Flavell Method of Grace ix. 187 If men..pull away the shoulder from you, and will not be concerned about your troubles.
1710 M. A. Fox Brief Coll. 72 Beware of starting from under the Yoak of Obedience, or pulling away the Shoulder; for the Lord God required not only Sacrifice, but Obedience, which is better.
a1826 Mrs. Edwards in New Englander (New Haven, Connecticut) (1853) Aug. 413 He pulls away the shoulder from instruction.
2. intransitive. To pull on an oar repeatedly or with vigour. Formerly frequently in imperative. Cf. sense 25 and away adv. 6.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > [verb (intransitive)] > row > row in specific manner or style
sheave1611
to pull away1676
paddle1697
to stretch one's oars1697
to stretch to the oar (or stroke)1697
to row dry1769
to stretch out1836
screw1866
bucket1869
to pull one's weight1878
sky1881
to wash out1884
1676 T. Shadwell Virtuoso ii. 20 Come along, pull away, Boys. Now, my choice Lads.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World xviii. 498 Pull away, an expression usual among English Sea-men, when they are Rowing.
1809 M. G. Lewis Venoni i. i. 16 Pull away, pull away! row, boys, row! A long pull, a strong pull, and off we go.
1850 H. Melville White-jacket xvii. 90 Each man look out along his oar, and look sharp!... It's no use..he's gone, whoever he is. Pull away, men—pull away!
1852 Times 7 Aug. 5/3 The way these Aquatic Amazons pulled away at the oar would have put many of the would-be amateurs of the ‘rougher’ sex to the blush for the feebleness of their exertions.
1884 Cent. Mag. July 359/2 What are you made of I should like to know, that you can't pull an oar ten minutes without howling? Shut up now, and pull away!
2002 Gazette (Montreal) (Nexis) 19 Oct. (Sport section) c1 Athletes pulling away on a rowing machine known as an ergometer.
3. intransitive.
a. Of a boat or vehicle: to move or draw away; to start away from a specified position. Also with the passengers, crew, etc., as subject.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > movement of vehicles > move or go along [verb (intransitive)] > move away or outwards
to draw away1648
to pull out1920
to pull away1955
1830 J. F. Cooper Water Witch II. viii. 176 The boat pulled away from the fancied prize [sc. a brigantine], amid a silence that was uninterrupted by any other sound than that of a song.
1878 Times 27 Nov. 10/1 We pulled away from the sunken vessel in the direction of the lights of the two vessels we had sighted.
1914 E. R. Burroughs Tarzan of Apes xxii. 296 Clayton..remained talking with the officers until their boat pulled away toward the cruiser.
1955 H. Kurnitz Invasion of Privacy (1956) iv. 32 The grey convertible..pulled away from the curb.
1971 P. L. Cave Chopper v. 45 Pulling away, he swung the hog [sc. a car] round in a wide U-turn and went after Ethel.
2001 A. Taylor Death's Own Door (2002) i. 2 The train pulled away. The level-crossing gates creaked and swung open.
b. Of a person: to move away or draw back (from another), esp. abruptly or with effort. Also figurative.
ΚΠ
1847 Spirit of Times 24 July 252/3 She pulled away from him, and run to the room whar the rest of the gals..was laughin.
1875 H. B. Stowe We & our Neighbors xxvii. 258 ‘Maggie, child,’ said Eva, laying hold of her arm, ‘where are you going?’ ‘Away—anywhere—I don't care where,’ said Maggie, fiercely, trying to pull away.
1903 Bonfort's Wine & Spirit Circular 10 Aug. 311/3 They have pulled away from the idea that nothing but cotton will grow in the State.
1942 Boys' Life Sept. 25/1 He pulled away from Mickey's hand on his knee and stared straight ahead into space.
1991 R. Banks Sweet Hereafter iii. 120 I could pull away from tort cases and just handle the white-shoe stuff if I wanted.
2005 N. Laird Utterly Monkey 231 Her lashes brushed against his cheekbone. ‘That's a butterfly kiss.’ She'd pulled away.
c. Sport. To establish a decisive lead over an opponent or opposing team. Cf. sense 25e.
ΚΠ
1871 N.Y. Times 29 June 8/3 The Nassaus..were very soon caught by the Vespers, who pulled away from them, and in less than half a mile had a clear lead of a length.
1928 Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram 1 Mar. 16/1 Edwards..overtook the tiring Leness and pulled away to win by seven yards.
1961 Times 4 May 4/7 Warburg and his partner were tightly held throughout..before they pulled away in the final set to win.
2005 Washington Post (Electronic ed.) 12 Nov. e6 Virginia Union..was giving the Terrapins fits for most of the first half. Maryland finally pulled away to win, 89-59.
4. intransitive. To come loose, become detached; to peel off; (also) to admit of being removed by pulling.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > become detached [verb (intransitive)] > become detached in other specific manner
unglue1693
patch1848
to pull away1858
to pinch off1910
abscind1963
1858 Jrnl. Soc. Arts 28 May 445/1 Each of these bodies requires different tempering,..so that the filling-in in one-coloured clay shall not pull away and ‘craze’ all over.
1937 Life 13 Sept. 18/1 (advt.) Ordinary putty—which hardens—pulls away from one or both, and leaves a gap.
1965 C. K. Keck Handbk. Care of Paintings v. 99 The fabric had pulled away from the wood as the panel had contracted violently across the grain.
2008 BBC Good Food Sept. 80/2 There will probably be some pin-bones but these are easy to find after cooking and will pull away with little effort.
 to pull back
1. transitive. To hold back; to hinder, keep from advancing or making progress.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > types or manners of hindrance > hinder in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > hinder or delay
bestayc1330
tarry1340
delaya1393
to put aback1450
to pull backa1470
retard1490
tarde1524
retary1526
to throw back1562
forslow1570
backward1594
detain1600
to set back1600
slug1605
retardate1613
tardya1616
taigle?1635
backen1649
remore1652
remorate1657
to cast back1671
to hold up1887
to knock back1945
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll.) 293 This yonge muche man pullyd hym abak and easyly streyghte upryght.
1559 Bp. Scot in J. Strype Ann. Reformation (1709) I. App. vii. 12 Ther be two thinges that do..as it were, pull me backe from speaking.
a1622 N. Byfield Comm. 2nd Chapter of 1st Epist. St. Peter (1623) ii. 487 In the diuell: it is his policy, heere by..to pull back certaine men which were going towards the Kingdome of God.
1627 J. Rogers Doctr. Faith 146 Me thinkes I would sometimes beginne to beleeve, and be of good hope, but then my unworthinesse puls mee backe.
1701 G. Stanhope tr. St. Augustine Pious Breathings 6 The wickedness of my own heart dismays and pulls me back.
c1806 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1956) II. 1203 I am a Bird who has struggled himself off a Bird-lime twig, & then finds a string round his leg pulling him back.
1872 N. Hawthorne in Atlantic Monthly Mar. 263/2 These doubts..were tormenting poor Septimius, and pulling him back from the path in which he was capable of doing so much good.
1908 Edwardsville (Illinois) Intelligencer 16 Oct. If he were not pulled back by his wife he would be a millionaire.
1977 Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois) 29 Dec. i. 17/1 It was my time to run... The first 75 yards seemed an eternity, with the weight belt pulling me back.
†2. transitive. To subtract. Cf. sense 23. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > arithmetic or algebraic operations > perform arithmetic or algebraic operations [verb (transitive)] > subtract
to do awayOE
drawc1392
to take out of ——a1398
to take offa1400
withdrawc1400
subtray?c1425
ydraw?c1425
surtretec1440
to take away?1537
rebate1543
subtract1543
subduct?1556
substra?1558
pull?a1560
subduce?a1560
substract1559
to pull back?1574
difference1658
take1798
minus1963
?1574 W. Bourne Regiment for Sea xix. sig. Niij You must pull backe so much from the point that the shippe hath sayled by, as the heigth of the pole doth shew vnto you.
†3. transitive. To assign an earlier date to (an event). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > reckoning of time > chronology > arrange chronologically [verb (transitive)] > assign to a certain date > to a wrong, later, or earlier date
misdate1577
antedate1609
to pull back1610
redate1611
transtime1647
reduce1714
anachronize1831
predate1854
down-date1949
1610 A. Willet Hexapla in Danielem 298 Then must the beginning of Cyrus raigne be pulled back an 11. yeares.
†4. transitive. To eliminate, minimize. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away
ateec885
withbreidec890
animOE
overbearOE
to do awayOE
flitc1175
reavec1175
takec1175
to have away?a1300
to draw awayc1300
weve13..
to wend awaya1325
withdrawa1325
remuec1325
to carry away1363
to take away1372
waive1377
to long awaya1382
oftakec1390
to draw offa1398
to do froa1400
forflitc1420
amove?a1425
to carry out?a1425
surtrayc1440
surtretec1440
twistc1440
abstract1449
ostea1450
remove1459
ablatea1475
araisea1475
redd1479
dismove1480
diminish?1504
convey1530
alienate1534
retire1536
dimove1540
reversec1540
subtractc1540
submove1542
sublate1548
pare1549
to pull in1549
exempt1553
to shift off1567
retract?1570
renversec1586
aufer1587
to lay offa1593
rear1596
retrench1596
unhearse1596
exemea1600
remote1600
to set off1600
subduct1614
rob1627
extraneize1653
to bring off1656
to pull back1656
draft1742
extract1804
reef1901
1656 J. Smith Compl. Pract. Physick 217 The cause must be pulled back by opening the Liver Vein.
5. transitive. Military. To withdraw (troops, etc.). Also intransitive: to withdraw, retreat.
ΚΠ
1917 Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 6 Dec. 1/1 The Germans began a turning movement, but the British were able to pull back most of their troops and guns.
1918 Warren (Pa.) Evening Mirror 8 Apr. 8/2 The British infantry..was compelled to pull back because of the overwhelming weight of the numbers opposed to them.
1953 L. Morton Fall Philippines iv. xvi. 285 The withdrawal continued during the night, the covering troops pulling back under cover of darkness to join their comrades.
1975 Economist (Nexis) 8 July 59 They want Frolinat to pull its forces back to where they were in March.
2004 U.S. News & World Rep. 26 Apr. 28/2 Drawing fire from other Taliban fighters, the rest of the unit pulled back, awaiting reinforcements.
6. intransitive. Film and Photography. To shift (esp. rapidly) from a close shot of a subject to a more distant, wide-angle shot.
ΚΠ
1932 D. Daves Divorce in Family ii. 2 Camera pulls back to MCS as Mrs. Shumaker enters to them—Terry speaks—he is about to cry.
1984 Sears, Roebuck Catal. Spring–Summer 914 Whether you zoom in for close-ups or pull back for wide-angle shots, your zoom lens catches it all effortlessly.
2000 Guardian (Nexis) 4 Jan. 34 The final shot, pulling back from the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich to reveal the Millennium Dome squatting on the horizon, was a coup de theatre.
7. Originally and chiefly Sport.
a. transitive. To improve or recover one's position by (a specified margin); to reduce the lead of an opponent or opposing team by (a score, a game, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > characteristics of team ball games > play team ball games [verb (transitive)] > restore level terms by goal
to pull back1938
1938 Times 27 June 4/6 The 15th was halved, but Cotton pulled one back with a great 3 at the 16th.
1969 Winnipeg Free Press 11 Aug. 24/3 Watson, Weston's player-coach, pulled back a goal 11 minutes from the end.
1978 Newport (Rhode Island) Daily News 13 July 18/5 The 6-4 Bean..faded coming home, dropping shots at the 11th and 12th holes, before pulling one back with a birdie four.
1993 Canoeist Dec. 61/2 The two Police crews had been pushing each other so hard that in the space of 2¼ hours and 15 miles they had pulled back 24 minutes on the leaders.
2000 Hindu (Nexis) 17 Mar. Having pulled back a match after two defeats the South Africans are primed to level scores on Friday.
b. intransitive. To recover from a disadvantageous or losing position; to make up ground. Cf. sense 25e.
ΚΠ
1951 Ames (Iowa) Daily Tribune 27 Feb. 8/1 Pulling back from an 11 point halftime deficit, Sparky Stalcup's Missouri squad put the hex on Iowa State's Cyclones and snatched the game from the fire.
1971 Times 11 Dec. 17/5 Tredgett pulled back to level the scores but Talbot grimly summoned all his experience to win the game.
1991 Mind 100 p. ii. Cambridge have steadily pulled back..from being distinctly more expensive to rival or even beat their competitors in price per page.
2006 Express & Echo (Exeter) (Nexis) 1 Feb. 51 We were behind at one point but pulled back to take the lead and went into the last end 19-17 ahead.
8. intransitive. Stock Market. Of a stock, commodity, or market: to dip (temporarily) in value. Cf. pullback n. 2e.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > deal in stocks and shares [verb (intransitive)] > state of market or prices > fall or rise (of prices)
to look downwards1796
to look downward1801
to look down1808
rally1826
sag1870
give way1883
slump1888
firm1896
move1904
spurt1931
perform1933
dip1956
to pull back1966
to go in the tank1974
1966 Edwardsville (Illinois) Intelligencer 22 Dec. 3/4 The advance gathered strength despite the tendency of the market to pull back on Thursdays.
1977 Times 16 July 20/5 The industrial average rose about 2½ points in early trading but had pulled back to a small loss in mid-session.
2006 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 19 Jan. 91 Market bulls were swept aside yesterday, resulting in shares pulling back from their lip-smacking records.
 to pull down
1. transitive. To bring low; to humble, humiliate; to weaken, enfeeble, deplete; to lower the spirits of, to depress. Cf. pluck v. 5b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)]
anitherOE
fellOE
lowc1175
to lay lowc1225
to set adownc1275
snuba1340
meekc1350
depose1377
aneantizea1382
to bring lowa1387
declinea1400
meekenc1400
to pull downc1425
avalec1430
to-gradea1440
to put downc1440
humble1484
alow1494
deject?1521
depress1526
plucka1529
to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533
to bring down1535
to bring basec1540
adbass1548
diminish1560
afflict1561
to take down1562
to throw down1567
debase1569
embase1571
diminute1575
to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576
exinanite1577
to take (a person) a peg lower1589
to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589
disbasea1592
to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592
comb-cut1593
unpuff1598
atterr1605
dismount1608
annihilate1610
crest-fall1611
demit1611
pulla1616
avilea1617
to put a scorn on, upon1633
mortify1639
dimit1658
to put a person's pipe out1720
to let down1747
to set down1753
humiliate1757
to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789
start1821
squabash1822
to wipe a person's eye1823
to crop the feathers of1827
embarrass1839
to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864
to sit upon ——1864
squelch1864
to cut out of all feather1865
to sit on ——1868
to turn down1870
to score off1882
to do (a person) in the eye1891
puncture1908
to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908
to cut down to size1927
flatten1932
to slap (a person) down1938
punk1963
the world > health and disease > ill health > cause to be ill [verb (transitive)] > make weak
fellOE
wastec1230
faintc1386
endull1395
resolvea1398
afaintc1400
defeat?c1400
dissolvec1400
weakc1400
craze1476
feeblish1477
debilite1483
overfeeble1495
plucka1529
to bring low1530
debilitate1541
acraze1549
decaya1554
infirma1555
weaken1569
effeeble1571
enervate1572
enfeeble1576
slay1578
to pull downa1586
prosternate1593
shake1594
to lay along1598
unsinew1598
languefy1607
enerve1613
pulla1616
dispirit1647
imbecilitate1647
unstring1700
to run down1733
sap1755
reduce1767
prostrate1780
shatter1785
undermine1812
imbecile1829
disinvigorate1844
devitalize1849
wreck1850
atrophy1865
crumple1892
the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)]
littleeOE
anitherOE
wanzelOE
lessc1225
slakea1300
littenc1300
aslakec1314
adminisha1325
allayc1330
settle1338
low1340
minisha1382
reprovea1382
abatea1398
rebatea1398
subtlea1398
alaskia1400
forlyten?a1400
imminish14..
lessenc1410
diminish1417
repress?a1425
assuagec1430
scarcec1440
small1440
underslakec1440
alessa1450
debate?c1450
batec1460
decreasec1470
appetisse1474
alow1494
mince1499
perswage?1504
remita1513
inless?1521
attenuate1530
weaken1530
defray1532
mitigate1532
minorate1534
narrow?1548
diminuec1550
extenuate1555
amain1578
exolve1578
base1581
dejecta1586
amoinder1588
faint1598
qualify1604
contract1605
to pull down1607
shrivel1609
to take down1610
disaugment1611
impoverish1611
shrink1628
decoct1629
persway1631
unflame1635
straiten1645
depress1647
reduce1649
detract1654
minuate1657
alloy1661
lower?1662
sinka1684
retreat1690
nip1785
to drive down1840
minify1866
to knock down1867
to damp down1869
scale1887
mute1891
clip1938
to roll back1942
to cut back1943
downscale1945
downrate1958
slim1963
downshift1972
society > trade and finance > monetary value > be valued at [verb (transitive)] > diminish value of
fall1564
embase1577
to pull down1607
impoverish1611
depreciate1656
to let down1870
slip1961
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > disappointment > be disappointed [verb (intransitive)] > let down
to pull down1636
to pull the rug (out) from under1928
c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) v. 1035 O Fortune..þou sparest no degre, For..Miȝti kynges..þou canst pulle doun!
1530 Myroure Oure Ladye (Fawkes) (1873) i. 45 When goddes seruantes ar besy..in hys seruyce; they [sc. bad felowes] with theyre vanyte or troubelousnes pulle downe theyre myndes.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney tr. Psalmes David (1823) xxxv. vi I did pull down my self, fasting for such.
1607 in 3rd Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1872) 53/2 They haue two tons of sassafras, which if thrown on the market..will pull down the price for a long time.
1636 P. Massinger Great Duke of Florence iv. ii. sig. H3 If I hold your Cards, I shall pull downe the side, I am not good at the game.
1676 M. Hale Contempl. Moral & Divine i. 255 A disease..that will suddenly pull down thy Strength, and rase thy Beauty.
1743 R. Blair Grave 15 A Fit of common Sickness pulls thee down With greater Ease.
1822 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 9 Mar. 600 Paper-money pulls down the value of gold.
1890 Spectator 23 Aug. 238/2 To pull down the average.
1904 W. B. Yeats Let. 30 Jan. (1994) III. 537 I think I am begginning [sic] to get a little tired—I got pulled down by a cold.
1987 W. Raeper George MacDonald xiii. 127 Looking after the children and coping with Charlotte, the maid, whom Louisa could not abide, soon pulled her down.
2000 Fresno (Calif.) Bee (Nexis) 7 Dec. d8 (caption) [She] didn't let a winless Mountain West Conference record pull her or her team down.
2. transitive. To demolish, destroy, lay in ruins (a building, structure, etc.). Also figurative and in figurative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (transitive)] > break down, demolish, or ruin
spillc950
fellOE
to cast downc1230
destroy1297
to turn up?c1335
to throw down1340
to ding downc1380
to break downa1382
subverta1382
underturn1382
to take downc1384
falla1400
to make (a building, etc.) plain (with the earth)a1400
voida1400
brittenc1400
to burst downc1440
to pull downc1450
pluck1481
tumble1487
wreck1510
defacea1513
confound1523
raze1523
arase1530
to beat downc1540
ruinate1548
demolish1560
plane1562
to shovel down1563
race?1567
ruin1585
rape1597
unwall1598
to bluster down16..
raise1603
level1614
debolish1615
unbuilda1616
to make smooth work of1616
slight1640
to knock down1776
squabash1822
collapse1883
to turn over1897
mash1924
rubble1945
to take apart1978
c1450 (?a1400) Parl. Thre Ages (BL Add. 31042) 319 (MED) Þe prowde paleys dide he pulle doun to þe erthe.
?1459 Will of John Fastolf in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 90 John Paston shulde doo poule doun the said mansion and euery stone and stikke therof.
1513 in G. P. Scrope Hist. Castle Combe (1852) 291 (note) Saynd hye wold polle don the tyllys of my hos.
1560 Bible (Geneva) Luke xii. 18 I wil pul downe my barnes, and buylde greater.
1613 J. Rovenzon Treat. Metallica sig. D3 The furnace may bee pulled downe, and a new fire-stone or hearth put in.
1677 in Early Rec. Town of Providence (Rhode Island) (1895) VIII. 16 Such as haue set vp fences in ye Common..the Councell shall cause them to be pulled downe.
1712 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. (1889) III. 294 This Day they began to pull down the Printing House by the Theater.
1774 Exact Hist. Battle of Floddon cxliv. 35 Where piles be pulled down apace.
1847 J. J. Oswandel Notes Mexican War (1885) vi. 332 We were of course obliged to go to work and pull down gates, doors, windows, door-sills, etc.
1875 Appletons' Jrnl. 16 Oct. 498/3 Make a good woman a partner in crime, and you pull down the very foundations of society.
1891 Law Rep.: Weekly Notes 78/2 Desirous of pulling the house down and building a new one on its site.
1940 N. Mitford Pigeon Pie vi. 99 They were going to pull it down and build a block of flats.
1976 Economist (Nexis) 6 Nov. 18 [He] is in the frustrating position of having enough strength..to pull down the whole ancient edifice of Christian Democratic power.
1993 Independent on Sunday 4 Apr. 5/2 The ceilings were bellying out so we pulled them down and exposed a huge vaulted timber roof.
3. transitive. Of a pack of hounds, etc.: to seize and bring to the ground; to overcome (a hunted animal).
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > hunt [verb (transitive)] > bring to ground
to pull downc1450
c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 229 (MED) Þai lete hym [sc. a dog] se ane olyfante, and he chasid so þat he was werie; and at þe laste he pullid hym down and killid hym.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) i. xvii. f. 72v Your white Greihounde, that pulled down the Stagge last day.
1600 R. Whyte in J. Nichols Progresses Queen Elizabeth III. 91 Hir Grace..sawe sixteen buckes (all having fayre lawe) pulled downe with greyhoundes, in a laund.
1624 T. Gataker Christian Constancy 17 They ply the Deere withall till he be heated and blowen, and then clap they on their great Buck-hounds that may pull him downe and plucke out his throat.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 76. ⁋1 The last Stag that was pull'd down.
1776 J. Burrow Rep. Court King's Bench 4 2093 Their Dog happened to escape from them, and run into the Paddock and pulled down the Deer against their will.
1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe II. ii. 26 Two trusty dogs, large and strong enough, I think, to pull down a stag.
1886 H. Smart Outsider I. i. 1 You weren't within half a field of the fair unknown when they pulled the fox down.
1903 J. London Call of Wild vii. 225 The whole pack..crowded together, blocked and confused by its eagerness to pull down the prey.
1928 Times 31 Oct. 6/7 Finding their first fox at Sir William Jaffray's Skilts Coverts, hounds pulled him down after a good 30 minutes' covert hunting.
2005 Western Mail (Cardiff) (Nexis) 14 Mar. 15 It is not that uncommon for foxes to..hunt in groups and pull down and kill adult sheep.
4. transitive. To overthrow (a government or system of government), esp. by force; to depose or dethrone (a ruler).
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > office > removal from office or authority > remove from office or authority [verb (transitive)] > depose a sovereign > violently
to pull down1625
society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > revolution > make revolutionary in character [verb (transitive)] > overthrow
upturna1340
overturna1382
subvert1474
invert1548
overthrow1567
wrake1570
revolve1609
to pull down1625
overset1679
1625 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) xxix. 181 When the Lacedemonians, and Athenians, made Warres, to set vp or pull downe Democracies, and Oligarchies.
1682 S. Pordage Azaria & Hushai 33 Baal would but rob some Jewels from your Crown, But these would Monarchy it self pull down.
1702 Modest Def. Governm. 7 That Generous Design of breaking the Fetters of Europe, by pulling down the French Monarchy.
1745 E. Haywood Female Spectator II. ix. 148 Success to the Queen of Hungary, and pulling down the French King, were the general Toasts from the Table.
1796 E. Burke Lett. Peace Regic. France i. 67 An opinion that he has a right, at his will, to pull down the Government by which I am protected.
1815 J. Cottle Messiah iv. 52 He..Shall..Pull down the Lawful King, th' Usurper raise.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xiv. 442 One at least of the Apostles appears to have lived to see four Emperors pulled down in little more than a year.
1957 H. Zink U.S. in Germany xii. 169 The fanaticism of the Nazis..was such that a devilish plan was devised to pull down the government from top to bottom as the Allies advanced.
1996 India Today 30 June 60/1 The compulsions of the Left are not to pull the Government down but to wield its ideological influence within the halls of power.
5. transitive. colloquial (originally and chiefly U.S.). To earn (money, esp. a wage or salary). Also more generally: to achieve, obtain.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > income, revenue, or profit > getting or making money > get or make money [verb (transitive)] > earn
earneOE
fangOE
i-earnOE
winc1175
getc1300
betravail1393
to knock out1873
to pull downa1902
to knock down1929
pull1937
a1902 F. Norris Vandover & the Brute (1914) xviii. 573 I pulled down my twenty dollars and findings!
1913 E. Ferber Roast Beef Medium ii. 37 Emma McChesney..pulled down something over thirty-two hundred a year selling Featherloom Petticoats.
1933 D. L. Sayers Murder must Advertise v. 78 ‘So you have become one of the world's workers.’.. ‘Yes; I'm pulling down four solid quid a week.’
1985 T. O'Brien Nucl. Age iii. 34 At school I pulled down solid grades.
2002 Time 5 Aug. 67/1 The..telecommunications analyst was pulling down $20 million a year.
2003 K. Sampson Freshers 58 There's no way the parents are going to lend a hand if I don't pull down a first, actually?
6. transitive. Computing. To use a mouse or the keyboard to cause (a list of menu options) to display beneath a selected heading or icon. Cf. pull-down adj. 2.
ΚΠ
1984 InfoWorld 13 Feb. 22/2 By positioning the mouse's arrow on top of a word on the [menu] bar, you can pull down a menu of choices related to that word.
1993 Macworld Dec. 31/1 (advt.) This powerful tool lets you handle much of your work without ever pulling down a menu.
2000 T. White in N. Blincoe & M. Thorne All Hail New Puritans 155 He pulls down the file menu and clicks on ‘Print’.
 to pull in
1. transitive. To bring into one's possession, acquire. In later use esp.: to earn or obtain (money) (cf. to pull down 5 at Phrasal verbs).
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > income, revenue, or profit > getting or making money > get or make money [verb (transitive)] > bring in (a revenue)
raise1389
levy1469
to pull in?1529
to fetch again1535
to bring in?1548
yield1573
produce1585
answer1596
in1609
render1687
net1758
rent1775
realize1777
earn1847
recoup1868
?1529 S. Fish Supplicacyon for Beggers sig. A2 Whate money pull they yn by probates of testamentes.
1841 Punch 17 July 6/2 I'm a boy in a school, with a bag of apples, which..I naturally sell at a penny a-piece, and so look forward to pulling in a considerable quantity of browns.
1899 T. M. Ellis Three Cat's-eye Rings 32 Oh, I shall pull in the spondulicks,..I tell you.
1973 Scotsman 13 Feb. 8/2 The Archbishop of York..pulls in £6000 a year.
1997 Mail on Sunday 10 Aug. (Night & Day section) 23/2 Tony Robbins and Tom Peters pull in tens of millions of dollars a year by motivating their fellow citizens.
†2. transitive. To remove from use; to withdraw from view. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away
ateec885
withbreidec890
animOE
overbearOE
to do awayOE
flitc1175
reavec1175
takec1175
to have away?a1300
to draw awayc1300
weve13..
to wend awaya1325
withdrawa1325
remuec1325
to carry away1363
to take away1372
waive1377
to long awaya1382
oftakec1390
to draw offa1398
to do froa1400
forflitc1420
amove?a1425
to carry out?a1425
surtrayc1440
surtretec1440
twistc1440
abstract1449
ostea1450
remove1459
ablatea1475
araisea1475
redd1479
dismove1480
diminish?1504
convey1530
alienate1534
retire1536
dimove1540
reversec1540
subtractc1540
submove1542
sublate1548
pare1549
to pull in1549
exempt1553
to shift off1567
retract?1570
renversec1586
aufer1587
to lay offa1593
rear1596
retrench1596
unhearse1596
exemea1600
remote1600
to set off1600
subduct1614
rob1627
extraneize1653
to bring off1656
to pull back1656
draft1742
extract1804
reef1901
1549 J. Cheke Hurt of Sedicion sig. A5v You saye pul in the scriptures, for we wyll haue no knoweledge of Christe.
a1640 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Sea Voy. iii. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Bbbbb/1 All my spirits..Pull in their powers and give me up to destiny.
3. to pull in one's horns: see horn n. 5b.
4. intransitive. To check oneself, come to a stop, pause; spec. to rein in one's horse. Also transitive: to rein in (one's horse).In quot. a1616 pull (which would imply deliberate action) is regarded by some commentators as an error for pall.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease activity [verb (intransitive)] > stop short in some activity
to break offc1340
persist1563
check1635
to stop short1727
to pull in1780
jib1812
stall1923
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) v. v. 40 I pull in Resolution, and begin To doubt th' Equiuocation of the Fiend. View more context for this quotation]
1780 T. Twining Let. 24 Feb. (1991) I. 180 I must pull in, or my letter will never end.
1803 R. Southey Select. from Lett. (1856) I. 9 I pull in pretty sharply, and slowly descend.
1818 Times 3 Dec. 3/2 The Captain pulled in for an instant: but on perceiving the pistol still levelled at him, he gave spurs to his horse.
1847 J. J. Oswandel Notes Mexican War (1885) ix. 468 Off we went at a full gallop for about one mile, when he pulled in his horses, and went on at a slow trot.
1875 W. S. Hayward Love against World 11 Let us pull in a little, and take it quietly.
1985 S. Hood Storm from Paradise (1988) 114 Just beyond the village hall the farmer pulled in his horse.
1989 Astrology June 9/1 You continue to be busy with lots of little things... But after about the 20th you may pull in a bit, feeling you've been spending somewhat heavily.
5. transitive. To draw, lure, or attract (a person, the public, etc.) to a performance, enterprise, or activity.
ΚΠ
1857 W. B. Bernard Marie Ducange iii. i. 36 You hear of musical chords that pull in the public.
1886 J. F. Findlay Personal Recoll. Thomas de Quincey 34 I had drawn him thither with a vague hope that if Burton had been on the outlook we might have pulled him in after all.
1931 ‘D. Stiff’ Milk & Honey Route x. 112 In good times, when jobs are plenty,..the man catchers and labor sharks are out on the streets pulling them in.
1972 G. Chapman et al. Monty Python's Flying Circus (1989) II. xxvii. 51 It's not your high-brow bleeding plays that pull in the viewers, you know.
2001 House Mag. 26 Mar. 38/2 An arts centre is hoping to pull in visitors with a conceptual exhibition.
6. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). To arrest (a person). Cf. sense 28a.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > restrain [verb (transitive)]
pindeOE
steerc950
hold971
forbidc1000
withstewc1175
withholdc1200
stewa1225
crempa1250
bistintc1300
i-stillc1315
withdraw1340
entemperc1380
rebukec1380
forfenda1382
refraina1382
refrainc1390
restraina1393
restayc1400
retainc1415
to hold abackc1440
overholda1450
reclaim?c1450
revokec1450
bedwynge1480
sniba1500
repressa1525
rein1531
inhibit1535
to keep back1535
cohibit1544
reprimec1550
lithe1552
to rein up1574
check1581
embridle1583
to rein in1593
retrench1594
refrenate1599
to hold back1600
snip1601
becheck1605
sneap1611
trasha1616
supersede1645
reprimand1689
snape1691
to clap a guy on1814
to pull up1861
to pull in1893
withstrain1904
society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > arrest > [verb (transitive)]
at-holda1230
attacha1325
resta1325
takec1330
arrest1393
restay?a1400
tachec1400
seisinc1425
to take upa1438
stowc1450
seize1471
to lay (also set, clap, etc.) (a person) by the heels?1515
deprehend1532
apprehend1548
nipa1566
upsnatcha1566
finger1572
to make stay of1572
embarge1585
cap1590
reprehend1598
prehenda1605
embar1647
nap1665
nab1686
bone1699
roast1699
do1784
touch1785
pinch1789
to pull up1799
grab1800
nick1806
pull1811
hobble1819
nail1823
nipper1823
bag1824
lag1847
tap1859
snaffle1860
to put the collar on1865
copper1872
to take in1878
lumber1882
to pick up1887
to pull in1893
lift1923
drag1924
to knock off1926
to put the sleeve on1930
bust1940
pop1960
vamp1970
1893 S. Crane Maggie x. 89 ‘I'll tump 'im till he can't stand.’..‘What's deh use! Yeh'll git pulled in!’
1923 E. L. Rice Adding Machine vi. 101 You read in the paper all the time about guys gettin' pulled in for annoyin' women.
1933 D. L. Sayers Murder must Advertise ix. 162 We could pull him in any day, but he's not the real big noise.
1973 W. M. Duncan Big Timer xxiii. 159 If you hadn't come voluntarily, I'd have pulled you in.
1989 A. Davies Getting Hurt ii. 22 One of my..clients has been pulled in for drunken driving.
7. intransitive.
a. Of a boat: to approach the shore in order to make landfall; to enter or stop at a port or berth. Of a train or other vehicle: to enter a station; to arrive at a stopping place to pick up or set down passengers. Also with the passengers, crew, etc., as subject.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > rail travel > [verb (intransitive)] > enter or leave station (of locomotive or train)
to pull out1847
to pull in1893
1885 Weekly New Mexican Rev. 16 Apr. 2/5 Hull..pulled into Santa Fe with a prairie-schooner.]
1893 Cent. Mag. Nov. 115/1 One morning we saw a few wigwams ashore, and pulled in at once and landed.
1902 Daily Gaz. & Bull. (Williamsport, Pa.) 14 Feb. When the train pulled in at 7:27 the cheering brought the Chief Executive to the rear platform.
1905 D. G. Phillips Plum Tree 91 I didn't know you till you took out your watch with the monogram on the back, just as we were pulling in.
1910 Nevada State Jrnl. 25 June 1/6 As soon as the boat pulled in..the Johnson party pressed quickly through the crowd.
1950 F. B. Gilbreth & E. G. Carey Belles on their Toes vi. 63 We knew Mother would want to see all of us when her boat pulled in.
1966 Times 21 Jan. 8/7 When the second 105 bus pulled in he was already off the kerb and on the lay-by.
2005 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Dec. 338/1 A half-dozen photographers..greeted them as their train pulled in this morning.
b. Of a driver or vehicle: to drive off or to the side of the road, esp. in order to stop.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > driving or operating a vehicle > drive a vehicle [verb (intransitive)] > drive or operate a motor vehicle > bring vehicle to side of road
to pull over1923
to pull in1936
to pull off1959
1936 Times 5 Oct. 5/6 After 60 laps..he pulled in for more fuel and handed over the wheel to his partner.
1959 I. Jefferies Thirteen Days i. 13 I was forced to pull off the road on the way back... I would have pulled in thereabouts anyway.
1975 M. Russell Murder by Mile viii. 81 Pulling in for a truck to pass, Hamilton sat tapping the wheel.
2001 T. Hanley in M. Hickey Irish Days (2004) 125 This side of Tulla there was a bit of a blind laneway and I'd pull in there and have a flask of tea.
8. transitive. To draw in (one's stomach, etc.), esp. in order to appear thinner or fitter; (also) to suck in (one's cheeks).
ΚΠ
1917 Atlanta Constit. 15 Mar. 6/5 Go out into the street, throw out your chest, pull in your stomach,..and walk briskly along.
1937 M. Hart & G. S. Kaufman You can't take it with You ii. 112 Penny. Has something happened to your figure during these eight years? De Pinna. (pulling in his stomach) No.
1988 U. Holden Unicorn Sisters iii. 36 I would..pull in my cheeks to look alluring.
1996 Observer (Nexis) 14 Jan. 13 If you want to be more active, you could practise pulling in your stomach or buttock muscles.
9. intransitive. Surfing. To manoeuvre into the barrel of a wave. Cf. to pull off 8 at Phrasal verbs, to pull out 9b at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > surf-ride [verb (intransitive)] > actions of surfer
pearl-dive1923
slide1931
hot-dog1959
to hang five, ten1962
to kick out1962
to cut back1963
to pull out1963
to pull off1964
nose-ride1965
rollercoaster1969
shred1977
rail1986
to pull in1987
1987 Sydney Morning Herald 3 Dec. (Eastern Herald section) 31/2 He won his first round heat and on one wave pulled in to a four metre close-out tube on his backhand.
2001 T. Cralle Surfin'ary (ed. 2) 198/1 Pull in.., to enter the barrel or the tube is to ‘pull in’. Get in the barrel.
2015 W. Finnegan Barbarian Days (2016) vii. 248 The wave on Nias..invited you to move farther up, get in earlier, take a higher line, pull in deeper.
 to pull off
1. transitive.
a. To take away or detach (something) by pulling from where it is held or attached. Cf. sense 14b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > detach [verb (transitive)] > detach in other specific manner
unnaila1400
to pull offa1425
nipc1450
unlink1569
unhook1611
unhinge1616
unsling1630
to pinch off1654
untack1693
unstring1697
peel1787
unbolt1793
unthong1829
unswing1835
unshackle1840
unsnap1862
unbraze1898
delink1899
OE tr. Medicina de Quadrupedibus (Hatton) (O.E.D. transcript) x. 264 Wið wiðerweard hær onweg to adonne, gif þu nimest wulfes mearh and smyrast mid hraðe þa stowe þe þa hær beoð of apullod [OE Vitell. awullud], ne geþafað seo smyrung þæt hi eft wexen.]
a1425 (a1399) Forme of Cury (BL Add.) 66 in C. B. Hieatt & S. Butler Curye on Inglysch (1985) 112 Take rawe pork and pulle of the skyn.
c1450 Med. Recipes (BL Add. 33996) in F. Heinrich Mittelengl. Medizinbuch (1896) 92 Pul of þe croppes, and clippe hem wyþ a peyre shers.
a1513 W. Dunbar Flyting in Poems (1998) I. 205 Thow plukkis the pultre and scho pullis of the penis.
1592 A. Day 2nd Pt. Eng. Secretorie sig. N2v, in Eng. Secretorie (rev. ed.) Pul off my bootes and spurres.
1677 W. Hubbard Narr. Troubles with Indians New-Eng. (new ed.) ii. 32 He pulled off his Vizour of a friend, and discovered what he was.
1745 tr. L. J. M. Columella Of Husbandry iv. xxviii The time for pampinating or pulling off the superfluous twigs and leaves.
1776 W. Withering Brit. Plants (1796) I. 259 Carefully and slowly pull off the petals.
1837 F. Marryat Snarleyyow (ed. 2) I. x. 125 He pulled off some beaver from his hat to staunch the blood.
1875 W. D. Parish Dict. Sussex Dial. Stub, to pluck chicken clean after their feathers have been pulled off.
1931 M. E. Stebbing Hardy Flower Gardening x. 170 Catmint, Iberis, and similiar half-shrubby plants should have each shoot pulled off with a downward jerk.
1993 Aquarist & Pondkeeper Oct. 75/4 Some species of frog and chelonia also pull off and eat the skin of other individuals of their species.
b. To take off (one's coat, etc.); to doff (one's hat).
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > providing with clothing > undressing or removing clothing > undress or remove clothing [verb (transitive)] > take off clothing
to do offeOE
to lay downc1275
to weve offc1290
stripc1320
doffa1375
loose1382
ofdrawa1393
casta1400
to take offa1400
warpa1400
to cast offc1400
to catch offc1400
waivec1400
voidc1407
to put off?a1425
to wap offc1440
to lay from, offc1480
despoil1483
to pull offc1500
slip1535
devest1566
to shift off1567
daff1609
discuss1640
to lay off1699
strip1762
douse1780
shuffle1837
derobe1841
shed1858
skin1861
peel1888
pull1888
c1500 J. Lydgate Stans Puer (Ashm.) in F. J. Furnivall Queene Elizabethes Achademy (1869) i. 63 (MED) Hose and schone to powle off, loke þou redy be.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 106 They fall into passions, fretting, sweating, pulling off their hats, and trembling fearefully.
1673 R. Leigh Transproser Rehears'd 82 Every man has not the good fortune..to pull off his hatt and make a leg with an air.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 55 I pull'd off my Clothes.
1834 L. Ritchie Wanderings by Seine 42 They pulled off their hats to one another with great civility.
1860 Harper's Mag. Oct. 705 I pull off my three pairs of shoes and socks, and go paddling in the sea.
1911 W. Boyle Eloquent Dempsy i. 5 He puts his hat on the table and struts as he pulls off his gloves.
1954 V. Randolph Pissing in Snow (1976) lxxxiii. 123 We pulled off our clothes, and Zeke laid down on top of me.
1992 P. O'Brian Truelove iv. 97 You must pull off your hat and call out Huzzay.
2001 T. Winton Dirt Music (2003) 136 He pulls off his shirt and hauls the wetsuit back up hot over his shoulders.
2. transitive. colloquial. To succeed in accomplishing, achieving, or producing (something); to carry off.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > acquisition > obtain or acquire [verb (transitive)] > as something desired or advantageous
findOE
winc1000
betellc1275
getc1330
reapa1350
craftc1350
attainc1374
achievea1393
embrace?c1475
conquer1477
consecute1536
gain1570
lucrify1570
compass1609
raise1611
lucrate1623
reconcile1665
engage1725
to pull off1860
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > make a success of [verb (transitive)] > manage to secure (a result)
to make shift of1504
temporize1596
manage1654
to have (also get, want, etc.) a run for one's money1839
to pull off1860
society > leisure > sport > winning, losing, or scoring > win, lose, or score [verb (transitive)] > win
to pull off1860
snare1942
to sew up1953
sweep1960
1860 Baily's Monthly Mag. 1 34 After the good old matches of Club and Ground against Cambridge and against Oxford are pulled off at the two Universities, the London Season will open.
1874 Times 10 Oct. 11/5 Day promised them that if they pulled off the job he would give them £7 for it. They took the goods to Day's house.
1883 M. E. Kennard Right Sort v Now and again..Jack Clinker managed to pull off some ‘good thing’ on the turf.
1902 E. Banks Autobiogr. Newspaper Girl 44 ‘I've got a fine thing for you, if you can pull it off!’
1923 H. G. Wells Men like Gods i. i. 6 He was not really clever enough to pull such a thing off.
1960 ‘Miss Read’ Fresh from Country (1962) xviii. 197 ‘And good luck to the old girl, say I!’ continued Joan warmly... ‘Let's hope she pulls it off!’
1977 Time 15 Aug. 13/2 Both looked as if they had just pulled off some master stroke of détente.
2005 New Nation 26 Sept. 23/1 They have pulled off a stunning new album.
3. transitive. U.S. slang. To steal, esp. by picking a pocket. Cf. sense 4. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > steal [verb (transitive)]
pick?c1300
takec1300
fetch1377
bribec1405
usurpc1412
rapc1415
to rap and rendc1415
embezzle1495
lifta1529
pilfer1532
suffurate1542
convey?1545
mill1567
prig1567
strike1567
lag1573
shave1585
knave1601
twitch1607
cly1610
asport1621
pinch1632
snapa1639
nap1665
panyar1681
to carry off1684
to pick up1687
thievea1695
to gipsy away1696
bone1699
make1699
win1699
magg1762
snatch1766
to make off with1768
snavel1795
feck1809
shake1811
nail1819
geach1821
pull1821
to run off1821
smug1825
nick1826
abduct1831
swag1846
nobble1855
reef1859
snig1862
find1865
to pull off1865
cop1879
jump1879
slock1888
swipe1889
snag1895
rip1904
snitch1904
pole1906
glom1907
boost1912
hot-stuff1914
score1914
clifty1918
to knock off1919
snoop1924
heist1930
hoist1931
rabbit1943
to rip off1967
to have off1974
1865 in Comments on Etymol. (1984) 14 i. 33 The best thing they could do was take a ‘run out’ and see if they were lucky enough to ‘pull a bag’ or two off.
1883 ‘M. Twain’ Life on Mississippi lii. 511 I pulled off an old woman's leather; (robbed her of her pocket-book).
1921 A. Jennings Through Shadows with O. Henry 52 We decided to pull off another wad.
4. intransitive. To pull the trigger of a gun in a manner that deflects the shot from where it is aimed. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1909 N.E.D. at Pull v. Musketry. To pull off.
1915 Blackwood's Mag. Jan. 61/1 They have learned..to press the trigger in the manner laid down in the Musketry Regulations—without wriggling the body or ‘pulling off’.
5. transitive (frequently reflexive). coarse slang. To masturbate (a man); to cause (a man) to ejaculate by masturbation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > masturbation > masturbate [verb (reflexive)]
masturbate1857
to play with ——1879
to toss off1879
frigc1890
touch1892
to jerk off1904
to pull off1909
jackc1930
diddle1960
to jack off1967
manipulate1971
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > other types of sexual activity or intercourse > engage in other types of sexual activity or intercourse [verb (transitive)] > stimulate genitals of (a person) > cause to have orgasm by
frig1598
milk1616
to toss off1879
wank1905
to pull off1909
to bring off1916
to jerk off1969
masturbate1974
1909 J. Joyce Let. 8 Dec. in Sel. Lett. (1975) 184 I pulled myself off twice when I read your letter. I am delighted to see that you do like being fucked arseways.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses iii. xviii. [Penelope] 711 How did we finish it off yes O yes I pulled him off into my handkerchief pretending not to be excited.
1966 L. Cohen Beautiful Losers i. 4 Can an old scholar find love at last and stop having to pull himself off every night so he can get to sleep?
1971 ‘V. X. Scott’ Surrogate Wife 139 Spasms shook his entire body as I pulled him off.
1991 T. Marshall Changelings (1992) i. 9 I lay down on the bed with the nightdress and pulled myself off with it.
6. transitive. Originally in Sport: (of a team's coach or manager) to withdraw (a player) during a game; to replace with a substitute (cf. sense 10). Later also more generally: to remove (a person) from a job or position.
ΚΠ
1933 Chicago Tribune 15 Mar. 18/6 In the last five minutes Manager Art Ross pulled off his goalie to put a sixth forward into the final drive.
1960 B. Crowther Hollywood Rajah xiii. 206 Edmund Goulding, Thalberg's choice as director, was pulled off.
1996 Ice Hockey News Rev. 21 Dec. 21/2 If we've eased up and someone has made a mistake I haven't been able to pull him off to highlight the error.
7. intransitive. Of a driver or vehicle: to move to the side of the road in order to stop; to leave a road. Cf. to pull over 1 at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > driving or operating a vehicle > drive a vehicle [verb (intransitive)] > drive or operate a motor vehicle > bring vehicle to side of road
to pull over1923
to pull in1936
to pull off1959
1959 Odessa (Texas) Amer. 6 Mar. 10/6 The lead car pulled off for gasoline.
1978 T. O'Brien Going after Cacciato xxxvi. 249 He reached Ankara... He pulled off onto the shoulder.
1984 D. Finn Heart of Family 222 They pulled off onto a dirt road and roared ahead at almost the same speed.
2006 Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (Nexis) 20 Aug. a1 Cars pull off here through the day to take photographs.
8. intransitive. Surfing. = to pull out 9b at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > surf-ride [verb (intransitive)] > actions of surfer
pearl-dive1923
slide1931
hot-dog1959
to hang five, ten1962
to kick out1962
to cut back1963
to pull out1963
to pull off1964
nose-ride1965
rollercoaster1969
shred1977
rail1986
to pull in1987
1964 B. Cooper in P. L. Dixon Men & Waves (1966) 189 I can't really recall my first wave, but I'm sure I caught an edge and had to pull off.
1997 Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise 10 Aug. c3/2 Unable to get on the wave, she had to pull off, surrendering priority.
 to pull on
1. transitive. To put on, don (a garment, etc.), esp. hurriedly or with effort.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > providing with clothing > provide with clothing [verb (transitive)] > put on
to do oneOE
graitha1375
puta1382
to take on1389
to let falla1400
takea1400
to put on?a1425
endow1484
addressa1522
to get on1549
to draw on1565
don1567
to pull on1578
dight1590
sumpterc1595
to get into ——1600
on with1600
array1611
mount1785
to cast on1801
endoss1805
endue1814
ship1829
1578 T. Garter Commody of Susanna sig. Cij Better to pull on thy shoes a, then to pull them on with thy fingers end a.
1643 T. Hope Diary 25 June (1843) 191 Quhil I wes pulling on my left buit both the tungis of it brak.
1794 J. Grahame Poems 76 Be sure pull on your silken hose, If you would wish to please the beaux.
1814 W. Scott Waverley III. xiii. 170 Boots pulled on without stockings. View more context for this quotation
1894 A. Conan Doyle Mem. Sherlock Holmes 7 He pulled on his large macintosh.
1928 D. H. Lawrence Lady Chatterley's Lover xv. 275 He..sat down, and was pulling on his stockings.
2004 L. Marney No Wonder I take Drink xvii. 183 I pulled my jeans on over my jammies.
†2. transitive. To induce, promote, cause; to bring on, bring about. Obsolete. to pull on a cup of wine and variants: to provoke thirst.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > [verb (transitive)] > give rise to
makeOE
breedc1200
wakea1325
wakenc1330
engendera1393
gendera1398
raisea1400
begetc1443
reara1513
ingener1513
ingenerate1528
to stir upc1530
yield1576
to pull ona1586
to brood up1586
to set afloat (on float)1586
spawn1594
innate1602
initiate1604
inbreed1605
irritate1612
to give rise to1630
to let in1655
to gig (out)1659
to set up1851
gin1887
the world > food and drink > drink > thirst > be thirsty [verb (intransitive)] > provoke thirst
to pull on a cup of winea1586
a1586 Sir P. Sidney tr. Psalmes David (1823) vi. vi Age, pul'd on with paines, all freshness fretteth.
1592 T. Nashe Pierce Penilesse (Brit. Libr. copy) sig. G3 v To haue some shooing horne to pul on your wine, as a rasher of the coles, or a redde herring.
1594 T. Nashe Vnfortunate Traveller sig. A4 Let this suffice for a tast to the text & a bit to pull on a good wit with, as a rasher on the coales is to pull on a cup of wine.
1609 C. Tourneur Funerall Poeme sig. Cv Punishments that iustly pull On Death.
1657 R. Ligon True Hist. Barbados 37 For a whetstone, to pull on a cup of wine, we have dryed Neats tongues.
1687 A. Behn Luckey Chance i. ii. 9 Oh how fatal are forc'd Marriages! How many Ruines one such Match pulls on.
 to pull out
1.
a. transitive. To draw out with a dragging or tugging action; to pluck out; to extract, remove. Also: to withdraw (support).to pull one's finger out: see to pull one's finger out at finger n. Phrases 4v. to pull out all the stops: see stop n.2 16.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > extraction > extract [verb (transitive)] > pull out or up
updrawc1290
plitchc1330
to pull outc1330
to pull upa1382
cleck1401
c1330 Short Metrical Chron. (Auch.) 2256 in PMLA (1931) 46 144 Dan simound ȝede & gadred frut, For soþe were plommes white; þe steles he puld out euerichon.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) 1 Esdras ix. 3 I kutte my mantel & coote & pullide out [L. evelli] þe herys of myn heued & berd & sat weilynge.
a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) 1914 Yf þat tre war tite pulled oute..with al þe rotes aboute.
c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) 938 (MED) He prekis in-to þe palais to pull out þe quene.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin 136 (MED) He pulde oute hys swerde and spronge in a-monge hem.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke xiv. f. cv Whiche of you shall have an asse, or an oxe, fallen into a pitt, and will nott straight waye pull him out on the saboth daye?
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 2 (1623) iv. vii. 16 We are like to haue biting Statutes Vnlesse his teeth be pull'd out . View more context for this quotation
1642 J. Eaton Honey-combe Free Justific. 206 The Dogge..will presently flie in ones face, and bee ready if he can to pull out ones throat.
1711 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. 10 Mar. III. 133 He pull'd out a pen-knife & stabb'd Mr. Harley.
1746 P. Francis tr. Horace Art of Poetry in P. Francis & W. Dunkin tr. Horace Epistles 313 He fell in on purpose, and..Will hardly thank you, if you pull him out.
1840 G. Darley Thomas à Becket iii. vii. 75 Go you, pull him out by the ears.
1904 Mission Field June 71 Tweezers were used by the Indian men to pull out every hair that grew on their faces.
1955 J. P. Donleavy Ginger Man xvii. 187 Who's been meddling with the dresser and pulling out the drawers?
1974 Lethbridge (Alberta) Herald 10 Sept. 1/2 Unless work gets underway on the project this year, the gas company and the brewery will pull out their support.
2006 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Feb. 106/3 He pulled out his wallet and displayed his ID.
†b. transitive. To draw the lining out through slashes in (a sleeve or garment) so as to display it. Usually as past participle, with with. Cf. pullings-out n. at pulling n. 3a. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > tailoring or making clothes > tailor or make clothes [verb (transitive)] > other
fur13..
buttonc1380
lashc1440
pointa1470
set1530
tuft1535
vent1547
ruff1548
spangle1548
string1548
superbody1552
to pull out1553
quilt1555
flute1578
seam1590
seed1604
overtrim1622
ruffle1625
tag1627
furbelow1701
tuck1709
flounce1711
pipe1841
skirt1848
ruche1855
pouch1897
panel1901
stag1902
create1908
pin-fit1926
ease1932
pre-board1940
post-board1963
1553 in J. C. Jeaffreson Middlesex County Rec. (1886) I. 14 Unum par calligarum de panno laneo pulled oute with sarsenett.
1558 in A. Feuillerat Documents Office of Revels Queen Elizabeth (1908) 38 Undersleves of playne yellowe clothe of gowlde pulled oute under the armes with greene golde sarsenet.
a1603 Q. Eliz. Wardr. in Leisure Hour (1884) 677/2 A pair of sleeves of gold, pulled out with lawn.
c. intransitive. To admit of being pulled out or open.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > furniture [verb (intransitive)] > slide easily
to pull out1920
1920 E. Ferber Half Portions ii. 59 I always use this gate-legged table. You see? It pulls out like this.
1943 Mod. Lang. Notes 58 12 Drawers pull out..easily.
1956 Life 2 Apr. 63/1 (advt.) So easy to load because it pulls out like a drawer—loads from the top without tiresome bending.
1979 Washington Post (Nexis) 16 Sept. (Mag.) 40 Another popular feature is a drawer that pulls out to reveal one or more garbage cans.
2004 Better Homes & Gardens Mar. 92/2 The teen designed the bed to pull out on drawer-style tracks.
†2. transitive. Mathematics. To draw (a line) from a point. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > geometry > form or represent geometrically [verb (transitive)] > construct or manipulate geometric object
to pull out?a1560
apply1570
coapt1570
quadrate1623
raise1647
join1660
range1670
project1673
rabat1868
unsquare1872
?a1560 L. Digges Geom. Pract.: Pantometria (1571) i. xxxv. sig. L ij Pull out from the centre a right line to the like number of degrees.
3. intransitive. colloquial. To exert oneself vigorously; to work hard. Cf. sense 15b. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > exert oneself or make an effort [verb (intransitive)]
tillc897
stightlea1375
stretcha1375
wrestlea1382
to put it forthc1390
to put one's hand(s) to (also unto)a1398
paina1400
takea1400
to do one's busy pain (also care, cure, diligence)?a1430
to make great force?c1450
makec1485
to stir one's stumpsa1500
to bestir one's stumps1549
to make work1574
put1596
bestira1616
operate1650
to lay out1659
to be at pains1709
exerta1749
tew1787
maul1821
to take (the) trouble1830
to pull outc1835
bother1840
trouble1880
to buck up1890
hump1897
to go somea1911
c1835 G. Kent Mod. Flash Dict. 26/1 Pull out, come it strong.
1866 A. Trollope Belton Estate III. x. 272 There's no getting people really to pull out in this country.
a1908 H. C. Hart MS Coll. Ulster Words in M. Traynor Eng. Dial. Donegal (1953) 221/1 Pull..-out, a command to workers to exert themselves.
4. intransitive.
a. Of a boat or vehicle: to move out of a port, station, etc.; to leave with its passengers. Also with the passengers, driver, etc., as subject.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > rail travel > [verb (intransitive)] > enter or leave station (of locomotive or train)
to pull out1847
to pull in1893
society > travel > travel by water > [verb (intransitive)] > set out on a voyage > leave port
to pull out1902
1847 R. Anderson Let. 6 Apr. in Artillery Officer in Mexican War (1911) 121 Having fired a few shots, a boat pulled out from town offering a surrender.
1868 Harper's Mag. Feb. 293/1 Breakfast over we ‘pulled out’, for the next station.
1891 C. Roberts Adrift in Amer. 18 The train that was to take me on..was nearly ready to ‘pull out’, as the phrase goes in America.
1902 C. J. C. Hyne Mr. Horrocks, Purser 105 We pull out from here next Tuesday.
1964 O. Ruhen in C. K. Stead N.Z. Short Stories (1976) 2nd Ser. 35 Men who, not so long ago, used to pull out to sea in a small boat.
1991 Mod. Railways Apr. 208/3 All was not over once we did pull out. We made two 45min stops in the middle of fields.
b. Originally U.S. colloquial. Of a person or (in later use esp.) a military unit: to go away, depart; to clear out. Also: to set off for (now rare).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > go away [verb (intransitive)]
wendeOE
i-wite971
ashakec975
shakeOE
to go awayOE
witea1000
afareOE
agoOE
atwendOE
awayOE
to wend awayOE
awendOE
gangOE
rimeOE
flitc1175
to fare forthc1200
depart?c1225
part?c1225
partc1230
to-partc1275
biwitec1300
atwitea1325
withdrawa1325
to draw awayc1330
passc1330
to turn one's (also the) backc1330
lenda1350
begonec1370
remuea1375
voidc1374
removec1380
to long awaya1382
twinc1386
to pass one's wayc1390
trussc1390
waive1390
to pass out ofa1398
avoida1400
to pass awaya1400
to turn awaya1400
slakec1400
wagc1400
returnc1405
to be gonea1425
muck1429
packc1450
recede1450
roomc1450
to show (a person) the feetc1450
to come offc1475
to take one's licence1475
issue1484
devoidc1485
rebatea1500
walka1500
to go adieua1522
pikea1529
to go one's ways1530
retire?1543
avaunt1549
to make out1558
trudge1562
vade?1570
fly1581
leave1593
wag1594
to get off1595
to go off1600
to put off1600
shog1600
troop1600
to forsake patch1602
exit1607
hence1614
to give offa1616
to take off1657
to move off1692
to cut (also slip) the painter1699
sheera1704
to go about one's business1749
mizzle1772
to move out1792
transit1797–1803
stump it1803
to run away1809
quit1811
to clear off1816
to clear out1816
nash1819
fuff1822
to make (take) tracks (for)1824
mosey1829
slope1830
to tail out1830
to walk one's chalks1835
to take away1838
shove1844
trot1847
fade1848
evacuate1849
shag1851
to get up and get1854
to pull out1855
to cut (the) cable(s)1859
to light out1859
to pick up1872
to sling one's Daniel or hook1873
to sling (also take) one's hook1874
smoke1893
screw1896
shoot1897
voetsak1897
to tootle off1902
to ship out1908
to take a (run-out, walk-out, etc.) powder1909
to push off1918
to bugger off1922
biff1923
to fuck off1929
to hit, split or take the breeze1931
to jack off1931
to piss offa1935
to do a mick1937
to take a walk1937
to head off1941
to take a hike1944
moulder1945
to chuff off1947
to get lost1947
to shoot through1947
skidoo1949
to sod off1950
peel1951
bug1952
split1954
poop1961
mugger1962
frig1965
society > travel > aspects of travel > departure, leaving, or going away > depart, leave, or go away [verb (intransitive)]
to come awayeOE
wendeOE
i-wite971
ashakec975
shakeOE
to go awayOE
witea1000
afareOE
agoOE
awayOE
dealc1000
goOE
awendOE
rimeOE
to go one's wayOE
flitc1175
depart?c1225
partc1230
to-partc1275
atwitea1325
withdrawa1325
to turn one's (also the) backc1330
lenda1350
begonec1370
remuea1375
removec1380
to long awaya1382
twinc1386
to pass one's wayc1390
trussc1390
to turn awaya1400
returnc1405
to be gonea1425
recede1450
roomc1450
to come offc1475
to take one's licence1475
issue1484
walka1500
to go adieua1522
pikea1529
avaunt1549
trudge1562
vade?1570
discoast1571
leave1593
wag1594
to go off1600
troop1600
hence1614
to set on one's foota1616
to pull up one's stumps1647
quit1811
to clear out1816
slope1830
to walk one's chalks1835
shove1844
to roll out1850
to pull out1855
to light out1859
to take a run-out powder1909
to push off (also along)1923
1855 W. G. Simms Forayers xxiii. 257 Two or three of you, must scout day and night..till you find the coast is clear—then put in and pull out.
1880 ‘M. Twain’ Tramp Abroad xxviii. 287 We got under way..and pulled out for the summit again, with a fresh and vigorous step.
1910 C. E. Mulford Hopalong Cassidy xi. 73 I reckon you better pull out—you ain't needed around here.
1920 J. M. Hunter Trail Drivers of Texas I. 98 At this I..rounded up my ‘crow bait’ and pulled out for home.
1953 L. Morton Fall Philippines viii. 135 The next morning, with the Japanese advancing from all sides, Horan pulled out.
1957 R. Lawler Summer of Seventeenth Doll iii The mob is pullin' out on Monday—up the Murray for the grapes.
1966 P. St. Pierre Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse 44 She went back in the mountains with him and they had a baby there and the baby died of pneumonia or something, and she pulled out.
1977 H. O'Hagan Woman who got on at Jasper Station 43 ‘You fellows figuring on pulling out?’... Pete, gaining his feet, said, ‘No, we're just going to sit here and watch the grass grow.’
2005 J. Pluss Jumping Fences iii. 555 Look at my goddamned leg! No time to fool with it here! Let's pull out!
c. Originally U.S. To withdraw from an undertaking, activity, etc.; to back out of a commitment or enterprise.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > reversal of or forsaking one's will or purpose > reverse or abandon one's purpose [verb (intransitive)] > withdraw from an engagement or promise
starta1450
fang1522
recidivate1528
to draw back1572
flinch1578
to shrink collar1579
retract1616
to shrink out of the collar1636
renege1651
to fly off1667
to slip (the) collarc1677
to declare off1749
to cry off1775
to back out1807
to fight off1833
crawfish1848
welsh1871
to pull out1884
the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from action [verb (intransitive)] > avoid > withdraw (from a task or undertaking)
vacate1665
retire1807
to pull out1884
to bow out1942
1884 Missouri Republican 24 Feb. in J. S. Farmer Americanisms (1889) He knows that if he keeps his money in the..business..he will lose it all, and so he has pulled out.
1889 Daily Nevada State Jrnl. 1 Jan. One possible candidate [for the Speakership] pulled out.
1955 L. S. Amery My Polit. Life III. ii. 69 He was dithering again and might even resign if the Liberals pulled out.
2006 Los Angeles Times 17 Jan. (Sports section) 5 The International Baseball Federation has threatened to withdraw its sanctioning of the event, and Puerto Rico has said it would pull out.
5. transitive. Sport (originally and chiefly U.S.). To achieve (a victory) or win (a match) unexpectedly, in a close contest, or at the last minute. Cf. to pull (something) out of the bag at Phrases 12, to pull out of the fire at fire n. and int. Phrases 2h(a).
ΚΠ
1886 Washington Post 30 Sept. 2/4 The Philadelphians by daring base running and some clever sacrifice hitting managed to pull out a victory after defeat seemed almost certain.
1940 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 12 July 28/4 The Oaks scored another one-run victory..the third straight in which the Oaks have pulled out a win by the slim margin of a single counter.
1990 Sports Illustr. 8 Oct. 98/2 Florida State needed a couple of big defensive plays to pull out the game.
2003 Ace June 76/1 She was a set and 2–4 down against Davenport before pulling out victory with some fierce hitting.
6. intransitive. colloquial. To withdraw the penis during or after an act of sexual intercourse; spec. to do so before ejaculation with the intention of preventing conception.
ΚΠ
c1890 Stag Party ‘Pull out,’ she cried, ‘don't spend inside, Or I'll get into trouble.’
1939 H. Miller Tropic of Capricorn 189 After he had almost polished the ass off her with his back-scuttling he pulled out for a second, as though to cool his cock off.
1986 J. Friedman Tales of Times Square 123 Levenson pulls out, rolls over like a fat dog, and dumps the motherload on Goldstein's pretty poster face.
2000 J. Murray But I love Him (2001) iii. 44 Neither one of us had any birth control, but he assured me that he'd pull out in time, which he didn't.
7. transitive. Sport. To take or extend (a lead or advantage).
ΚΠ
1896 Boston Daily Globe 5 June 2/7 At first the Beatrice seemed to gain a little, but the Privateer soon struck a winning gait and pulled out a lead of nearly seven minutes to the buoy.
1901 Times 13 June 11/4 Creole both in the run..and in the reach showed to much better advantage,..and at the Mouse had pulled out a good lead.
1987 Road Racing Monthly July 8/5 Before those problems I'd pulled out an eight second advantage in just five laps over Eddie.
2004 Herald Express (Torquay) 15 Sept. 71 Exeter and Coalporters made the running on the re-row with Exeter pulling out a lead of three quarters of a length by half way.
8. intransitive. Of a motor vehicle: to move into a lane of traffic from the edge of the road, or from a nearside lane. Also with the driver or passengers as subject.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > movement of vehicles > move or go along [verb (intransitive)] > move away or outwards
to draw away1648
to pull out1920
to pull away1955
1920 Times 4 June 5/3 He thought that the driver of the defendant's car pulled out from behind the van and made a full sweep outwards.
1938 G. Greene Brighton Rock vii. ix. 349 A bus came upon them and pulled out just in time.
1972 ‘A. York’ Expurgator i. iv. 59 He pulled out, into the middle of the road,..and saw the lorry coming at him.
2002 P. A. Huchthausen October Fury i. 23 The Volga pulled out into the Moscow traffic and swirling black diesel exhaust.
9. intransitive.
a. Of an aircraft or its occupants: to emerge from a dive.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > specific flying operations or procedures > [verb (intransitive)] > descend > suddenly and steeply > emerge from dive
to pull out1942
1917 ‘Contact’ Airman's Outings 46 We swerved violently, and they pulled out of their dive well away from us.]
1942 T. Rattigan Flare Path i. 30 I put the old Wimpey into a dive and..pulled out only a few feet above his head.
1995 Daily Mail (Nexis) 22 July The Fokker went into a dive and didn't pull out.
b. Surfing. To end a ride by bringing one's surfboard out of a wave. Cf. to pull off 8 at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > surf-ride [verb (intransitive)] > actions of surfer
pearl-dive1923
slide1931
hot-dog1959
to hang five, ten1962
to kick out1962
to cut back1963
to pull out1963
to pull off1964
nose-ride1965
rollercoaster1969
shred1977
rail1986
to pull in1987
1963 Surfing Yearbk. 42/2 Pull out, ending a ride by getting your board out of a wave. There are many different ways of pulling out.
1964 J. Severson Mod. Surfing around World xvii. 157 You may also have the opportunity of pulling out before reaching the section.
1971 Stud. in Eng. (Univ. Cape Town) Feb. 27 This is called being locked in, because in such a condition it is virtually impossible to pull-out.
2003 Paddles Sept. 32 Teahupo requires a lot of respect when surfing it, the main problem is that it bowls back around at each end making it very difficult to pull out at the end of your ride.
 to pull over
1. intransitive. Of a vehicle or its driver: to move to the side of or off the road, esp. in order to come to a stop. Cf. to pull in 7b at Phrasal verbs above.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > driving or operating a vehicle > drive a vehicle [verb (intransitive)] > drive or operate a motor vehicle > bring vehicle to side of road
to pull over1923
to pull in1936
to pull off1959
1909 Times 26 Nov. 14/2 The defendant told the police that the car suddenly swerved across the road. He pulled it over to the near side when he saw it swerve.]
1923 Times 23 Mar. 5/7 Did you observe any reason why the lorry driver should want to pull over on to your track?
1932 Sun (Baltimore) 24 Sept. 8/6 Notify him that you are actually about to pass. In most cases he will pull over for you.
1972 D. Delman Sudden Death (1973) v. 135 The rain so heavy that..the wipers..were unable to cope... ‘Can't see too well,’ I said. ‘I better pull over.’
2004 Voice 22 Mar. 4/2 A squad car flashed blue lights and indicated he should pull over but Josephs refused.
2. transitive. Originally U.S. Of a police officer: to direct or compel (a driver or vehicle) to move to the side of the road and stop, typically because of a traffic violation.
ΚΠ
1950 Herald-Press (St. Joseph, Mich.) 14 Oct. 1/4 Lt. Walters promptly pulled him over to the curb and gave the youth..the courtesy summons.
1979 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 7 May 1/6 Police pulled the car over, arrested the three and helped Collier from the trunk of the car.
1999 BBC Top Gear Mag. Aug. 165/2 I've just got pulled over for speeding—allegedly.
 to pull round
1. intransitive. To recover from illness; (also) to regain consciousness after fainting, to come round.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > recovery > recover or be healed [verb (intransitive)]
wholeeOE
botenc1225
cover1297
amendc1325
recovera1375
warisha1386
recovera1387
healc1390
recurec1400
soundc1402
mendc1440
convalesce1483
guarish1489
restore1494
refete?a1505
revert1531
to gather (or pick) up one's crumbs1589
cure1597
recruit1644
to perk upa1656
retrieve1675
to pick up1740
to leave one's bed1742
to sit up and take nourishment1796
to get round1798
to come round1818
to pull through1830
rally1831
to fetch round1870
to mend up1877
to pull round1889
recoup1896
recuperate1897
1889 Manitoba Daily Free Press 26 Jan. ‘With great care he might pull round again,’ returned the nurse, unwilling to commit herself one way or the other.
1891 R. Buchanan Come, live with Me II. xx. 253 The danger's over..and the little one is pulling round.
1914 M. Sinclair Three Sisters xx. 92 She looks extraordinarily well... I never saw her pull round so fast before.
1998 P. Lively Spiderweb (1999) iv. 41 She'd had a bit of a bad chest but was pulling round all right.
2. transitive. To restore (a person) to health after illness, etc.; to effect a recovery in the condition or circumstances of (a business, organization, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > heal or cure [verb (transitive)] > restore to health
healc1000
temperc1000
recoverc1330
covera1375
restorec1384
recovera1398
rectifya1400
revert1446
recruita1661
re-establish1664
to set up1686
to bring toa1796
reinstate1810
tinker1823
recuperate1849
to bring about1854
to pick up1857
to fetch round1870
re-edify1897
to pull round1900
1900 Outrageous Fortune iv. 37 The attack of meningitis..was fortunately only slight, and the excellent nursing I received..served to quickly pull me round.
1928 Sunday Express 29 Apr. 20/1 In the second half Cardiff made a valiant attempt to pull the game round.
1955 A. L. Rowse Expansion of Elizabethan Eng. 230 Smith had pulled the colony round at its lowest point.
1999 Financial Times 9 Oct. 16/4 He will have to convince them that he can pull round the business.
 to pull through
1. transitive. To bring (a person) through the severe or critical phase of an illness, or (more generally) through adverse or difficult circumstances; to bring (a thing) to a successful conclusion or outcome.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > heal or cure [verb (transitive)] > specifically a person or part
wholeeOE
healc1000
betterOE
i-sundienc1175
salvea1225
botenc1225
savea1250
warishc1250
recurea1382
curec1384
mendc1390
remedya1470
cheerc1540
loosea1637
to pull through1816
rehab1973
1816 Times 9 Sept. 3/4 Ann Cross begged Betley not to be so distressed, ‘for she would pull her through.’
1849 J. L. H. McCracken Earning a Living v. i. 52 My object in laying all this before you is to get assistance. If you will not pull me through, I must suspend payment till this ship arrives.
1884 Pall Mall Gaz. 16 Oct. 3/2 The work..is now in good hands, and will be pulled through.
1931 R. Campbell Georgiad iii. 60 Now he's editing a posh review—For solid industry has pulled him through.
1949 E. Goudge Gentian Hill ii. v. 275 If you wish to live I give you my word that I can pull you through.
1994 J. Kelman How Late it Was 320 There was a wee bit of business; he could pull it through—just that few bob, if he had that upfront, he needed that upfront money.
2. intransitive. To get through an illness, ordeal, difficult situation, etc.; to succeed in accomplishing something difficult.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > recovery > recover or be healed [verb (intransitive)]
wholeeOE
botenc1225
cover1297
amendc1325
recovera1375
warisha1386
recovera1387
healc1390
recurec1400
soundc1402
mendc1440
convalesce1483
guarish1489
restore1494
refete?a1505
revert1531
to gather (or pick) up one's crumbs1589
cure1597
recruit1644
to perk upa1656
retrieve1675
to pick up1740
to leave one's bed1742
to sit up and take nourishment1796
to get round1798
to come round1818
to pull through1830
rally1831
to fetch round1870
to mend up1877
to pull round1889
recoup1896
recuperate1897
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > succeed or be a success [verb (intransitive)] > achieve success (of persons) > succeed in doing anything > succeed under difficulties
win through1644
to come through1708
to pull through1830
pull1856
to fetch through1912
to hack it1936
1830 Times 30 Nov. 3/5 It would have been better for thee if thou had trusted Providence, and done as before, you might have pulled through.
1853 C. Dickens Bleak House xxxvii. 372 Bless your heart,..I shall be all right! I shall pull through, my dear!
1928 Sunday Express 29 Apr. 20/6 Scots amateurs pull through. Narrow victory over England at Hampden Park.
1933 E. A. Powell Slanting Lines of Steel xix. 304 I guess you will pull through, after all... We thought for a time that you were going to cash in your chips.
1993 U.S. News & World Rep. 18 Jan. 72/2 Surgeons either rush old patients into futile or harmful surgery or throw in the towel prematurely on the assumption that they won't pull through anyway.
 to pull to
transitive. To pull (a door, etc.) so that it closes or nearly closes.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > closed or shut condition > close or shut [verb (transitive)] > close (a door, window, etc.)
shutc1000
steek?c1225
makec1300
speara1325
yark toc1400
to shut toc1450
to put toa1500
warpc1540
enclose1563
to pull to1673
dub1753
1673 W. Wycherley Gentleman Dancing-master ii. i. 34 (stage direct.) She pulls the door to.
1727 P. Aubin tr. R. Challes Illustrious French Lovers (ed. 2) II. 253 She kept her Word, and having brought me into my Lady's Chamber left me there, and pull'd the Door to after her.
1787 Whole Proc. King's Comm. Peace (City of London & County of Middlesex) 856/2 I went and pulled the door to, and got some friends to assist me in searching the house.
1823 Times 3 May 3/7 The thieves..pulled to the door, the spring of the lock caught, they thus accidentally shut themselves out.
1895 J. M. Falkner Lost Stradivarius xii. 188 He set down his mandoline and left the room, pulling to the curtain and shutting a door behind it.
1898 G. B. Shaw Arms & Man in Plays Pleasant & Unpleasant 6 She goes out..and pulls the outside shutters to.
1910 A. Bennett Clayhanger iii. v. 362 Don't latch the door. Pull it to. I'll listen out.
1946 W. de la Mare Three Royal Monkeys v. 67 He skipped out and pulled-to the door-flap behind him.
1982 A. Taylor Caroline Minuscule i. 10 He pulled the door to behind him, but didn't close it; everything must be as he had found it.
2001 J. Paisley Not for Glory 116 Tom beetles intae the garage an pulls the door to. Him an Hannah peer oot the crack.
 to pull together
1. intransitive. To act in unison; to work in harmony; to cooperate. Also: to agree, get on well together.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > co-operation > co-operate [verb (intransitive)]
conjoin1532
conspirea1538
concurc1550
co-operate1604
coadjute1612
coacta1616
to jump in quilla1616
co-operate1616
co-opere1663
to pull together1772
rally1792
to row in1861
collaborate1871
to play ball (with)1903
to play along1929
play1937
1772 D. Garrick Irish Widow i. i. 4 Get you gone, with your love and reason, they seldom pull together now-a-days.
1799 Hist. in Ann. Reg. 302/2 In the marine language of admiral Mitchel, they pulled heartily together.
1805 W. Wordsworth Waggoner i. 133 Ye pulled together with one mind.
1830 F. Marryat King's Own I. xiii. 187 It was a ship's company which pulled every way, as the saying is, when there was nothing to demand union: but let..danger appear..then they all pulled together.
1884 Law Times Rep. 14 June 467/2 Where tenants for life and trustees did not pull together, sales could not in such cases be effected.
1935 R. A. Knox Barchester Pilgrimage vi. 246 The great thing about a place like Barchester was that the boys learned to pull together.
1996 Mail on Sunday 28 Apr. 39/4 The richly deserved reputation Londoners have for pulling together in times of adversity.
2. transitive.
a. To bring (a horse) in hand; = collect v. 4. Now rare or merged in sense 2b.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride (a horse or other animal) [verb (transitive)] > bring completely in hand
collect1833
to pull together1864
1864 W. Campbell My Indian Jrnl. xviii. 327 You cannot take a drop of six or seven feet..at racing speed; you must pull your horse together, or smash him.
1898 ‘M. Ross’ & E. O. Somerville Silver Fox v She was gone in an instant, and, before Glasgow had pulled his horse together, Slaney and Isabella were charging the place.
1912 Times 16 Mar. 14/1 Mason on Herculean lost an iron, but he pulled his horse together with extraordinary skill and his light weight enabled him to win.
b. reflexive. To recover control of oneself or one's emotions; to collect oneself; to rally; (also) to gather one's faculties or resources with an effort. Also (occasionally) with non-reflexive object.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > amending > restoration > restoration of a person > [verb (transitive)] > to one's normal condition
to pull together1868
1868 Hagerstown (Maryland) Mail 29 May 1/7 I still felt deucedly muzzy, for Commissary rum..is hard stuff to get sober off; yet I managed to pull myself together enough to know where I was.
1872 Punch 29 June 269/1 The process of pulling myself together and picking myself up.
1884 Chicago Herald in J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. (1888) II. xcvi. 349 It [sc. the Republic] can pull itself together in moments of danger.
1906 W. S. Maugham Bishop's Apron viii. 132 Now come and have tea... I know it'll pull you together.
1958 B. L. Montgomery Mem. (1961) 150 I decided that the Eighth Army needed a halt during which it could pull itself together and get ready for the final ‘jump’ to Tripoli.
1986 P. Theroux O-zone xv. 175 I sometimes feel he's cracking up. This might pull him together.
2005 Apex Sci. Fiction & Horror Digest Fall 54 Oh, stop your puling! Pull yourself together.
3. transitive. To bring together or gather in one place, to assemble, esp. from disparate sources; (also) to make more complete or coherent, to knit together.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being gathered together > gather together [verb (transitive)]
somnec825
heapc900
gathera975
samc1000
to set togetherc1275
fang1340
assemblec1374
recueilc1380
drawa1393
to draw togethera1398
semblea1400
congatherc1400
congregatec1400
to take together1490
recollect1513
to gather togetherc1515
to get together1523
congesta1552
confer1552
collect1573
ingatherc1575
ramass1586
upgather1590
to muster upa1593
accrue1594
musterc1595
compone1613
herd1615
contract1620
recoil1632
comporta1641
rally1643
rendezvous1670
purse1809
adduct1824
to round up1873
reeve1876
to pull together1925
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fact or action of being joined or joining > join (together) [verb (transitive)] > join closely, intimately, or permanently
tiec1000
limea1225
knit1340
sold1388
marryc1450
compact1530
spear?1548
solder1589
cementc1604
ferruminate1623
bewed1674
weld1802
wed1818
Siamese1830
intermarry1863
to pull together1925
mate1959
1894 W. Archer in World 15 Aug. 25/1 The last act wants a great deal of working-up and pulling together.]
1925 J. G. Bruce in E. F. Norton et al. Fight for Everest: 1924 iii. 63 If the first party of porters could be pulled together again in twenty-four hours' time, they were then to be utilized to keep Camp III supplied from Camp II.
1952 Listener 31 Jan. 189/1 He has tried to pull together all that has been said and written about the political struggle between the western allies and Moscow.
1978 Amer. Notes & Queries 16 142/1 A corpus of paintings not pulled together in any previous work.
2005 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 20 Nov. iii. 8/2 [He] acted as a Sherpa on the deal, pulling together documents and sending e-mail messages.
 to pull up
1. transitive. To drag or draw (something) out of the ground or from a settled place in order to remove or destroy it; to uproot. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > extraction > extract [verb (transitive)] > pull out or up
updrawc1290
plitchc1330
to pull outc1330
to pull upa1382
cleck1401
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Jer. i. 10 I haue sett þee to dai vp..þat þou pulle vp & destroȝe & sprenge abrod.
a1450 (?1418) in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 63 (MED) Pulle up þe stakes and breke þe styles.
1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope i. xx Whanne the flaxe was growen and pulled vp.
1532 Act 23 Hen. VIII c. 18 The said fishgarthes, piles, stakes,..and other engines..to be auoyded, and pulled vp.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry ii. 86 Others graffe it in the roote, and when it hath taken, they pull vp a parcell of the roote withall, and remooue it as they doo other plantes.
1604 E. Grimeston tr. J. de Acosta Nat. & Morall Hist. Indies iv. xxii. 273 There hath beene great question and diversity of opinions among learned men, whether it were more expedient to pull vp these trees, or to let them growe.
1668 Plymouth Col. Rec. (1857) VII. 143 Molesting him..in pulling vp his fence.
1693 J. Evelyn tr. J. de La Quintinie Compl. Gard'ner ii. vi. 171 We put only three Radish Seeds into every hole, and if we chance to let fall any more we pull up all the Radishes that come up above the number of three.
1762 A. Dickson Treat. Agric. i. xiii. 105 The weeds themselves must be pulled up by the root.
1783 G. Hay Sincere Christian (new ed.) II. xxiv. 80 A new planted tree is easily pulled up; a tender twig is easily bent.
1801 C. Dibdin Valentine & Orson ii. i. 29 Orson pulls up a post, breaks the chain by which it is attached to the next post, and batters the gate open.
1810 Times 25 Dec. 4/1 Such of the young trees in the plantation as they could not pull up, they broke in two.
1848 J. R. Bartlett Dict. Americanisms To pull up stakes, to pack up one's furniture or baggage preparatory to a removal; to remove.
1889 A. T. Pask Eyes of Thames 151 The young birds pay little heed to the scare strings, and pull up the seedlings to their heart's content.
1920 ‘K. Mansfield’ Let. 29 Mar. (1993) III. 264 Don't you love pulling up carrots, shaking them clean and tossing them on to a heap?
1967 E. Brathwaite in K. Ramchand & C. Gray West Indian Poetry (1972) 25 You still got a back that kin..hoe an' pull up the weeds From the peeny brown square that you callin' your own.
1989 A. Walker Temple of my Familiar i. 56 The plantation overseer would pull up any vegetable growing in their yards.
2004 Tropical Fish Jan. 43/3 It you pull up a plant or two and find stunted, blackened, smelly roots.
2. transitive. To lift or hold up (the head); to pull (oneself) upright, esp. in order to show pride or defiance. Also figurative: to lift or raise with an effort (a person's heart, spirits, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > encouragement > pluck up courage [verb]
findOE
to take (in early use nim) heartc1275
to have the heartc1300
to hent one's heartc1325
to pull upa1393
to fang upa1400
pluckc1400
to take courage1490
to take heart of grace (and variants)c1520
to lift up one's heart, mind, soul1535
to get (also gather, keep, etc.) heart of grace1581
hearten1587
to pluck up one's courage1660
flesh1695
pluck up courage1726
to pick up1735
to call forth1802
to pluck up1827
to muster up1893
the world > space > relative position > posture > upright or erect posture > assume upright or erect position [verb (reflexive)]
stretchc1325
to pull upa1393
sustainc1405
address1483
to draw up1751
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. 1788 (MED) He pulleth up is hed And made riht a glad visage.
?a1425 Constit. Masonry (Royal 17 A.i) l. 606 in J. O. Halliwell Early Hist. Freemasonry in Eng. (1844) 34 Into the churche when thou dost gon, Pulle uppe thy herte to Crist, anon.
c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) 2074 Þan pullis him vp þe proude kyng.
c1450 (a1400) Libeaus Desconus (Calig. A.ii) (1969) 1178 Vp he pullede hys herte.
1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 161/2 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) II Now they pull vp their spirits.
1633 Bp. J. Hall Plaine Explic. Hard Texts i. 546 Let those that are weake and fearefull pull up their spirits.
1673 B. Keach War with Devil 100 Pull up thy drooping heart, be of good chear, Thy sins, though ne're so great, forgiven are.
1681 J. Scott Christian Life: Pt. I iv. 511 Let us pull up our Courage, and maugre all Temptations to the contrary, continue steadfast and immoveable.
1737 W. Whiston tr. Josephus Jewish War iv. vi, in tr. Josephus Genuine Wks. 862 The people..pulled up their courage for a while.
1768 H. Kelly False Delicacy iv. 55 Pulling up my head, with a toss of disdain.
1773 R. Graves Spiritual Quixote I. iii. v. 139 Miss Townsend dropped a tear; then, pulling up her spirits, gave the following account of herself.
1858 T. D. English Mormons iii. ii. 33 I'll pull up my spirits with a bit of a song, and thin I'll be ready to march.
1866 ‘S. Gilpin’ Songs & Ballads of Cumberland 58 Pou up your heads; ay deil may care.
1919 ‘K. Mansfield’ Let. 27 Oct. (1993) III. 52 Your letter pulled me up—I swore cross my heart straight dinkum never to give way to depression again.
2001 N. Griffiths Sheepshagger 26 He pulls himself up to his full height and stands in the pale rain and looks. His sparrow chest out-thrust.
3.
a. transitive. To draw (a horse's reins) tight, as a means of stopping; to cause (a horse, or horse-drawn vehicle) to stop by doing this; to bring to a halt.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > absence of movement > render immobile [verb (transitive)] > stop the movement of > bring to a standstill
astintc700
stinta1330
arrestc1374
stopc1440
stowc1440
stote1489
to pull up1623
to draw up1765
halt1805
to bring to a standstill1809
snub1841
paralyse1933
society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride (a horse or other animal) [verb (transitive)] > control with reins > pull (a rein)
richc1540
checkc1720
to pull up1787
society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride (a horse or other animal) [verb (transitive)] > control with reins > check or stop with reins
araynea1400
refrain1440
reina1525
to rein in1658
pull1781
to pull up1827
1623 in R. F. Williams Birch's Court & Times James I (1848) (modernized text) II. 392 A man, thinking nothing, pulled up his coach, and so made the horse start a little.
1706 J. Stevens tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote (ed. 2) I. xi. 56 Pray, sir, recollect your self, pull up the reins, and ride like a man.
1787 ‘G. Gambado’ Acad. Horsemen 21 Of course you drop the reins entirely on that side, and pull them up sharp with both hands, on the other.
1827 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey IV. vi. i. 3 Two horsemen pulled up their steeds beneath a wide oak.
1865 J. S. Le Fanu Guy Deverell I. vii. 96 He..pulled up his steaming horse by the station.
1925 Chambers's Jrnl. Christmas No. 854/2 When he and I encountered, ahorse on a road, we pulled up our horses and conversed.
1993 Racing Post 20 Feb. 9/4 I thought he'd stop after about two miles but I had a job pulling him up past the post.
b. intransitive. Of a driver, rider, etc.: to bring a horse or vehicle to a halt. Of a vehicle, horse, etc.: to stop, come to a standstill. to pull up to: to come to a halt adjacent to.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > cease to move or become motionless > come to a stand or stop
abideOE
atstandc1000
steveneta1225
atstuntc1230
to make, take, etc., stallc1275
stema1300
astandc1314
withstanda1325
stintc1374
arrestc1400
stotec1400
stayc1440
steadc1475
stop short1530
disadvance1610
come1611
consist1611
check1635
halt1656
to bring to1697
to draw up1767
to bring up1769
to pull up1781
to fetch up1838
to come to a standstill1852
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > driving or operating a vehicle > driver or operator of vehicle > driver or operator of a vehicle [verb (transitive)] > of a driver, etc.: halt horse or vehicle
to pull up1781
1781 L. MacNally Sentimental Excursions 38 The coachman pulled up to the door of a small public house.
1787 Daily Universal Reg. 12 Sept. 4/1 The boy that rode Wren made a mistake the first heat, and pulled up at the distance chair.
1794 T. Holcroft Adventures Hugh Trevor I. xiv. 193 The moment the coachman pulled up, I stepped out of the carriage and into the street.
1843 R. S. Surtees Handley Cross I. ix. 160 Anon it [sc. the engine] pulls up with a whiff, a puff, and a whistle.
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days i. iv. 96 At the second mile-stone the boys pulled up short, and waived their hats to the guard.
1869 H. F. Tozer Res. Highlands of Turkey I. 314 [The horse] took fright, and galloped off... After he had gone about three-quarters of a mile, he pulled up.
1874 F. C. Burnand My Time x. 86 A carriage pulled up..close by the bridge.
1917 ‘Contact’ Airman's Outings 20 The machine heeled over and pulled up dead, with one wing leaning on the ground.
1939 H. Thompson Body Boots & Britches xiv. 366 He'd pull up suddenly. We'd be riding single file behind him.
1985 R. Barth Condo Kill xxxviii. 174 A black stretch Fleetwood Cadillac pulled up to the curb.
2004 H. Kunzru Transmission (2005) 162 A TV van and a few hire cars had pulled up on to the grass verge.
c. intransitive. Of a person: to check or stop oneself in a course of action. Now esp. in to pull up short.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease activity [verb (intransitive)] > stop short in some activity > as if checked
to take check1663
to hold hard1761
to pull up1808
1808 E. S. Barrett Miss-led General 42 He pulled up now, surely?—No—played upon tick.
1878 H. James Watch & Ward vii. 144 To win his suit he comes near to going over to Rome; but he pulls up short and determines the mountain shall come to Mahomet.
1883 R. Churchill Speech Edinb. 20 Dec. in Speeches 1880–1888 (1889) I. 90 It is time, and high time, to pull up. Concede nothing more to Mr. Parnell.
1923 Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner 27 June 5/1 Sometimes, a waster and a spender pulls up short and becomes a worker.
1998 D. Shemek Ladies Errant 11 He turns his argument this way and that, races headlong into passionate praise or tirade, then pulls up short.
d. transitive. To check (a person) in a course of action. Also reflexive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease activity [verb (reflexive)]
stay1560
spend1594
muzzle1660
to run out1845
to pull up1861
society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > restrain [verb (transitive)]
pindeOE
steerc950
hold971
forbidc1000
withstewc1175
withholdc1200
stewa1225
crempa1250
bistintc1300
i-stillc1315
withdraw1340
entemperc1380
rebukec1380
forfenda1382
refraina1382
refrainc1390
restraina1393
restayc1400
retainc1415
to hold abackc1440
overholda1450
reclaim?c1450
revokec1450
bedwynge1480
sniba1500
repressa1525
rein1531
inhibit1535
to keep back1535
cohibit1544
reprimec1550
lithe1552
to rein up1574
check1581
embridle1583
to rein in1593
retrench1594
refrenate1599
to hold back1600
snip1601
becheck1605
sneap1611
trasha1616
supersede1645
reprimand1689
snape1691
to clap a guy on1814
to pull up1861
to pull in1893
withstrain1904
the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease from (an action or operation) [verb (transitive)] > cause to cease or put a stop to > suddenly or abruptly (an action or person)
break1330
to break offc1340
to take up1530
to cut off1576
stunt1603
to cut up short1607
to cut short1611
pawl1797
to sew up1837
to stop short1837
burst1842
to pull up1861
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > hinder completely or prevent [verb (transitive)] > check (in) a course of action
stanchc1315
arrestc1374
checka1400
stem?c1450
stay1525
to take up1530
rebate1532
suspend1565
nip1575
countercheck1590
to nip in the bud1590
to clip the wings ofa1593
to nip in (also by, on) the head (also neck, pate)1594
trasha1616
to scotch the wheels of1648
spike1687
spoke1854
to pull up1861
1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. III. x. 186 He pulled himself up short, in the fear lest he were going again to be false.
1874 J. P. Mahaffy Social Life Greece x. 295 Socrates is at once pulled up if he whispers.
1906 Trenton (New Jersey) Times 15 May 9/5 You soon pulled me up when I began to talk nonsense, didn't you?
1916 J. Buchan Greenmantle xii. 190 The sight of his face pulled me up short.
1955 B. Pym Less than Angels ix. 107 Catherine..pulled herself up, horrified at the sardonic detachment with which she had been watching them.
2006 Nanaimo (Brit. Columbia) Daily News (Nexis) 6 June (Entertainm. section) b7 He was working 18-hour days... It was his wife Nancy who pulled him up short by reminding him about the needs of his family.
4. transitive. colloquial (originally slang). Originally: to arrest, take into custody; esp. to apprehend and bring before a magistrate. Later in extended use: to call (a person) to account for a misdemeanour; to take to task, upbraid, reprove, reprimand.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > rebuke or reproof > rebuke or reprove [verb (transitive)]
threac897
threapc897
begripea1000
threata1000
castea1200
chaste?c1225
takec1275
blame1297
chastya1300
sniba1300
withnima1315
undernima1325
rebukec1330
snuba1340
withtakea1340
reprovec1350
chastisea1375
arate1377
challenge1377
undertake1377
reprehenda1382
repreync1390
runta1398
snapea1400
underfoc1400
to call to account1434
to put downc1440
snebc1440
uptakec1440
correptc1449
reformc1450
reprise?c1450
to tell (a person) his (also her, etc.) own1450
control1451
redarguec1475
berisp1481
to hit (cross) one over (of, on) the thumbs1522
checkc1530
admonish1541
nip1548
twig?1550
impreve1552
lesson1555
to take down1562
to haul (a person) over the coals1565
increpate1570
touch1570
school1573
to gather up1577
task1580
redarguate?1590
expostulate1592
tutor1599
sauce1601
snip1601
sneap1611
to take in tax1635
to sharp up1647
round1653
threapen1671
reprimand1681
to take to task1682
document1690
chapter1693
repulse1746
twink1747
to speak to ——1753
haul1795
to pull up1799
carpet1840
rig1841
to talk to1860
to take (a person) to the woodshed1882
rawhide1895
to tell off1897
to tell (someone) where he or she gets off1900
to get on ——1904
to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908
strafe1915
tick1915
woodshed1935
to slap (a person) down1938
sort1941
bind1942
bottle1946
mat1948
ream1950
zap1961
elder1967
society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > arrest > [verb (transitive)]
at-holda1230
attacha1325
resta1325
takec1330
arrest1393
restay?a1400
tachec1400
seisinc1425
to take upa1438
stowc1450
seize1471
to lay (also set, clap, etc.) (a person) by the heels?1515
deprehend1532
apprehend1548
nipa1566
upsnatcha1566
finger1572
to make stay of1572
embarge1585
cap1590
reprehend1598
prehenda1605
embar1647
nap1665
nab1686
bone1699
roast1699
do1784
touch1785
pinch1789
to pull up1799
grab1800
nick1806
pull1811
hobble1819
nail1823
nipper1823
bag1824
lag1847
tap1859
snaffle1860
to put the collar on1865
copper1872
to take in1878
lumber1882
to pick up1887
to pull in1893
lift1923
drag1924
to knock off1926
to put the sleeve on1930
bust1940
pop1960
vamp1970
society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > accusation, allegation, or indictment > charge, accuse, or indict [verb (transitive)]
wrayc725
forwrayOE
beclepec1030
challenge?c1225
indict1303
appeachc1315
aditea1325
appeal1366
impeachc1380
reprovea1382
arraigna1400
calla1400
raign?a1425
to put upa1438
present?a1439
ditec1440
detectc1449
articlec1450
billc1450
peach1465
attach1480
denounce1485
aret1487
accusea1500
filea1500
delate1515
crimea1550
panel1560
articulate1563
prosecute1579
impleada1600
to have up1605
reprosecute1622
tainta1625
criminatea1646
affect1726
to pull up1799
rap1904
run1909
1799 in Spirit of Public Jrnls. (1800) 3 352 Memorandum.—If any thing done by scampsmen on the Fulham road, send the traps to pull up Bounce and Blunderbuss.
1825 C. M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I. 170 He was next day pulled up before the big wigs.
1859 C. J. Lever Davenport Dunn xlvi The odds are, he'd pull me up pretty sharp for doing so without his authority.
1864 M. Creighton Let. 24 Aug. in Life & Lett. (1904) I. i. 12 Fellows won't stand being pulled up for breaking one school rule, when they know you break another.
1955 T. H. Pear Eng. Social Differences vi. 164 We were constantly being pulled up for some real or fancied coarseness of enunciation or vulgar phrase.
1991 Independent 7 Oct. 18/3 Police..notify certain employers or professional associations if their employees or members have been pulled up.
2006 Evening Chron. (Newcastle) (Nexis) 27 July 10 Employers who give parents holidays over childless workers could be pulled up for discrimination.
5. intransitive. To advance or regain one's position in a race or other contest; to catch up; to recover.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > forward movement > move forward or advance [verb (intransitive)]
wadeOE
agoOE
forthganga1000
forthgoOE
syeOE
kenc1275
to-stepc1275
vaunce1303
forthnima1325
passc1330
throc1330
forthpass1382
to pass forthc1384
to carry forthc1390
proceedc1392
to go alongc1400
to be forthwardc1430
get) groundc1436
to set onc1450
avauntc1460
pretend1481
to make way1490
advance?1507
to get forward1523
promove1570
to rid ground (also space)1572
to rid (the) way1581
progressa1586
to gather grounda1593
to make forth1594
to make on1597
to work up1603
perge1607
to work one's (also its) way1609
to pass on1611
to gain ground1625
to make its way1645
vadea1660
propagate1700
to gain one's way1777
further1789
to pull up1829
on1840
to make (up) ground1921
1829 Times 19 June 3/2 A strong feeling pervaded the course in favour of Colonel, who, having been left far behind, pulled up considerably towards the end of the race.
1882 Bucks County (Pa.) Gaz. 7 Sept. The sixty-seventh ballot put Evans 3½ ahead of Weand, and on the sixty-eighth Weand pulled up within ½, he having 35½, Evans 36.
1893 Outing 22 155/1 At forty yards Harding invariably led by a yard or more, but from this onward Cary pulled up, passing him at about sixty yards.
1936 N. Streatfeild Ballet Shoes xvii. 276 The death of King George in January cut the audiences down to about a quarter..and they never really pulled up again.
1988 Washington Post (Nexis) 14 Feb. c1 Since she heard that Dole has pulled up within two points of Bush, she has switched from Kemp to Dole.
6. transitive. To draw or bring (a seat) close or alongside, typically so as to be able to join in a conversation, meal, etc. Frequently in imperative, as a friendly invitation to be seated.
ΚΠ
1839 Yale Lit. Mag. July 391 You said come in did'nt you?..Oh! of course. Pull up a chair.
1894 S. Fiske Holiday Stories (1900) 28 Unload yourself and pull up a chair.
1963 Sat. Evening Post 28 Sept. 116 Pull up a chair,..and get acquainted.
1982 F. Pohl Starburst iii. 13 There was no ‘come on, Dieter, boy, pull up a pew,’ from the President.
1988 L. Dhingra Amritvela vii. 23 I pull up a cane stool next to Bibiji.
2003 V. O. Carter Such Sweet Thunder 205 Pull up a chair..an' set a while.
7. intransitive. Basketball. To lift the ball to a position near or above the head in preparation for a throw, esp. a jump shot.
ΚΠ
1964 Christian Sci. Monitor 8 Feb. 12/2 Used to being the powerhouse who always went for the basket, Art found he couldn't pull up and shoot.
1968 J. Cathcart Multiple-continuous Offense for High School Basketball iv. 73 He receives the pass from 2 and pulls up for a jumper or goes in for a layup.
1990 J. Welch Indian Lawyer 349 She watched the man dribble to the front of the basket near where the free-throw line would be, pull up, and shoot a jump shot.
2004 Windsor (Ont.) Star (Nexis) 7 Dec. d2 Jefferson dribbled to his left before pulling up for a nine-foot jumper.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

> see also

also refers to : pull-comb. form
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n.1c1303n.2a1500v.OE
see also
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