Pull

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PULLED; p. pr. & vb. n. PULLING.] [A-S. pullian, Gael. peall, piol, spiol.]

1Sense 1. To draw, or attempt to draw, toward one.

Never pull your hat upon your brows. Shak.

He put forth his hand and pulled the dove in. Gen. viii. 9.

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

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

3Sense 3. To gather by drawing toward one; to pluck; as, to pull fruit; to pull flax.

4Sense 4. To move by pulling; as, to pull a boat along; to pull a bell.

Pulled and hauled, drawn hither and thither. “Both are equally pulled and hauled to do that which they are unable to do.” South. — To pull down. (a.) To demolish or take in pieces by separating the parts of; as, to pull down a house. (b.) To demolish; to subvert; to destroy. “In political affairs, as well as mechanical, it is easier to pull down than to build up.” Howell. (c.) To bring down; to degrade; to humble. “To raise the wretched, and pull down the proud.” Roscommon. — To pull off, to separate by pulling; to pluck; also, to take off without force; as, to pull off a coat or hat. — To pull out, to draw out; to extract. — To pull up, to pluck up; to tear up by the roots; hence, to extirpate; to eradicate; to destroy.

To give a pull; to tug; as, to pull at a rope.

To pull apart, to become separated by pulling; as, a rope will pull apart. — To pull up, to draw the reins; to stop; to halt.

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

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

2Sense 2. A contest; a struggle.

The wrestling pull between Corineus and Gogmagog is reported to have befallen at Dover. Carew.

3Sense 3. Violence suffered. [Obs.]

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