to exert a force on (somebody or something) in such a way as to make them move towards oneself or the source of the force
to draw (somebody or something) out of something in this way
to remove or extract (a nail, tooth, etc) by pulling
to pluck (e.g. a flower) from a plant
to lift (a plant) from the ground
to take out the entrails of (a chicken, duck, etc)
to make (something) come apart by force; to rend or tear (something)
had pulled the books to pieces
to strain (a muscle, tendon, etc)
(usu + on) to bring out (a weapon) into the open in readiness for use
informal to draw the support or attention of (people); to attract (a crowd, audience, etc)
informal
to commit (a crime)
(often + off) to carry out (a feat, action, etc) with daring and imagination
to attract (a sexual partner)
to do, perform, or say (something) with a deceptive intent
She's been pulling these tricks for years
to draw (e.g. beer or cider) from the barrel, esp by pulling a pump handle
informal to withdraw or remove (e.g. support or finance)
to hit (a ball in e.g. cricket, golf, or baseball) towards the left from a right-handed swing or towards the right from a left-handed swing
informal to arrest (somebody)
to hold back (a horse) from winning a race
to work (an oar) by drawing back strongly; to row (a boat)
to print (e.g. a proof) by impression
to retrieve information from (e.g. a database)
to stretch (e.g. a cooling humbug mixture) repeatedly
to use force in drawing, dragging, or tugging
to be capable of being pulled
Soft wool pulls easily
(often + against/at/on) to try to move away from something that is resisting the movement
(usu + away/out/over) said of a vehicle: to move steadily
A car pulled out of the driveway
said of a vehicle: to move through the exercise of mechanical energy
(+ at/on) to draw hard or suck in smoking or drinking
said of a horse: to strain against the bit
to row a boat
to draw a gun
to grimace
informal to perpetrate a trick or fraud
to refrain from using all the force at one's disposal
to do one's full share of work
[literally with reference to rowers putting their full weight into the stroke]to regain one's self-possession or self-control
to assert one's authority over (somebody) in order to do something or get them to do something
to deceive or tease somebody playfully
[possibly derived from the notion of tripping a person by pulling their legs from under them. Another theory relates to former public hangings, in which friends of the condemned were said to have pulled his legs when dangling from the rope to speed up the process of asphyxiation]to exert personal influence, esp secretly
informal (often + on) to bring something to an end
to be in control
to work in harmony towards a common goal; to cooperate