puller

Variant of pull

pull definition

pull (po̵ol)

transitive verb

  1. to exert force or influence on so as to cause to move toward or after the source of the force; drag, tug, draw, attract, etc.
    1. to draw out; pluck out; extract to pull a tooth
    2. to pick or uproot to pull carrots
  2. to draw apart; rip; tear to pull a seam
  3. ☆ to stretch (taffy, etc.) back and forth repeatedly
  4. to stretch or strain to the point of injury to pull a muscle
  5. Informal to put into effect; carry out; perform to pull a raid
  6. Informal to hold back; restrain to pull one's punches
  7. Informal
    1. ☆ to take (a gun, knife, etc.) from concealment so as to threaten
    2. to take or force off or out; remove to pull a wheel from a car
  8. Dialectal to draw the entrails from (a fowl)
  9. Baseball, Golf to hit (the ball) and make it go to the left or, if left-handed, to the right
  10. Horse Racing to rein in or restrain (a horse) so as to keep it from winning
  11. Printing to take (a proof) on a hand press
  12. Rowing
    1. to work (an oar) by drawing it toward one
    2. to propel or transport by rowing

Etymology: ME pullen < OE pullian, to pluck, snatch with the fingers: ? akin to MLowG pull, a husk, shell

intransitive verb

  1. to exert force in or for dragging, tugging, or attracting something
  2. to take a deep draft of a drink or puff at a cigarette, etc.
  3. to be capable of being pulled
  4. to move or drive a vehicle (away, ahead, around, out, etc.)
  5. Football to run behind, and parallel to, the line of scrimmage, as to provide blocking for a ballcarrier: said of an offensive lineman

noun

  1. the act, force, or result of pulling; specif.,
    1. a dragging, tugging, attracting, etc.
    2. the act or an instance of rowing
    3. a drink
    4. a puff at a cigarette, etc.
    5. a difficult, continuous effort, as in climbing
    6. the force needed to move a weight, trigger, etc., measured in pounds
  2. something to be pulled, as the handle of a drawer, etc.
  3. Informal
    1. influence or special advantage
    2. drawing power; appeal

Related Forms:

pull Idioms

pull a face

pull apart

to find fault with; criticize

pull down

  1. to tear down, demolish, or overthrow
  2. to degrade; humble
  3. to reduce
  4. Informal to get (a specified wage, grade, etc.)

pull for

Informal
to cheer on, or hope for success of

pull in

  1. to arrive
  2. to draw in or hold back
  3. Slang to arrest and take to police headquarters

pull off

Informal to bring about, accomplish, or perform

pull oneself together

to collect one's faculties; regain one's poise, courage, etc.

pull out

  1. ☆ to depart
  2. ☆ to withdraw or retreat
  3. ☆ to escape from a contract, responsibility, etc.
  4. Aeron. to level out from a dive or landing approach

pull over

to drive (a vehicle) to or toward the curb

pull through

Informal to get through or over (an illness, difficulty, etc.)

pull up

  1. to uproot
  2. to bring or come to a stop
    1. to drive (a vehicle) to a specified place
    2. to make (an aircraft) nose up sharply
  3. to check or rebuke

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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