pull (p l)v. pulled, pull·ing, pulls v.tr. 1. To apply force to so as to cause or tend to cause motion toward the source of the force. 2. To remove from a fixed position; extract: The dentist pulled the tooth. 3. To tug at; jerk or tweak. 4. To rip or tear; rend. 5. To stretch (taffy, for example) repeatedly. 6. To strain (a muscle, for example) injuriously. 7. Informal To attract; draw: a performer who pulls large crowds. 8. Slang To draw out (a weapon) in readiness for use: pull a gun; pulled a knife on me. 9. Informal To remove: pulled the engine; pulled the tainted meat product from the stores. 10. Sports To hit (a ball) so that it moves in the direction away from the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the left of a right-handed player. 11. Nautical a. To operate (an oar) in rowing. b. To transport or propel by rowing. c. To be rowed by: That boat pulls six oars. 12. To rein in (a horse) to keep it from winning a race. 13. Printing To produce (a print or an impression) from type. v.intr. 1. To exert force in moving something toward the source of the force. 2. To drink or inhale deeply: pulled on the cold beer with gusto; pull on a cigarette. 3. Nautical To row a boat. 4. Informal To express or feel great sympathy or empathy: We're pulling for our new president. n. Phrasal Verbs: 1. The act or process of pulling. 2. Force exerted in pulling or required to overcome resistance in pulling. 3. A sustained effort: a long pull across the mountains. 4. Something, such as a knob on a drawer, that is used for pulling. 5. A deep inhalation or draft, as on a cigarette or of a beverage. 6. Slang A means of gaining special advantage; influence: The lobbyist has pull with the senator. 7. Informal Ability to draw or attract; appeal: a star with pull at the box office. pull ahead To move ahead, as in a race. pull away 1. To move away or backward; withdraw: The limousine pulled away from the curb. 2. To move ahead: The horse pulled away and took the lead in the race. pull back To withdraw or retreat. pull down 1. To demolish; destroy: pull down an old office building. 2. To reduce to a lower level. 3. To depress, as in spirits or health. 4. Informal To draw (money) as wages: pulls down a hefty salary. pull in 1. To arrive at a destination: We pulled in at midnight. 2. To rein in; restrain. 3. To arrest (a criminal suspect, for example). pull off Informal To perform in spite of difficulties or obstacles; bring off: pulled off a last-minute victory. pull out 1. To leave or depart: The train pulls out at noon. 2. To withdraw, as from a situation or commitment: After the crash, many Wall Street investors pulled out. pull over 1. To bring a vehicle to a stop at a curb or at the side of a road: We pulled over to watch the sunset. 2. To instruct or force (a motorist) to bring his or her vehicle to a stop at a curb or at the side of a road: The state trooper pulled the speeding motorist over. pull round To restore or be restored to sound health. pull through To come or bring successfully through trouble or illness. pull up Idioms: 1. To bring or come to a halt. 2. To move to a position or place ahead, as in a race. pull a fast one Informal To play a trick or perpetrate a fraud. pull (oneself) together To regain one's composure. pull (one's) punches To refrain from deploying all the resources or force at one's disposal: didn't pull any punches during the negotiations. pull (one's) weight To do one's own share, as of work. pull out all the stops Informal To deploy all the resources or force at one's disposal: The Inaugural Committee pulled out all the stops when arranging the ceremonies. pull (someone's) leg To play a joke on; tease or deceive. pull something To carry out a deception or swindle. pull strings/wires Informal To exert secret control or influence in order to gain an end. pull the plug on Slang To stop supporting or bring to an end: pulled the plug on the new art courses. pull the rug (out) from under Informal To remove all support and assistance from, usually suddenly. pull the string Baseball To throw an off-speed pitch. pull the wool over (someone's) eyes To deceive; hoodwink. pull together To make a joint effort. pull up stakes To clear out; leave: She pulled up stakes in New England and moved to the desert. [Middle English pullen, from Old English pullian.] pull  er n.Synonyms: pull, drag, draw, haul, tow1, tug These verbs mean to cause something to move toward the source of an applied force: pull a sled up a hill; drag furniture across the floor; drew up a chair; hauls wood from the forest; a car that tows a trailer; tugged at the oars. Antonym: push |
pull back
vb (adverb)
to return or be returned to a rearward position by pulling the army pulled back
n pullback
1. the act of pulling back
2. (Engineering / Tools) a device for restraining the motion of a mechanism, etc., or for returning it to its original position
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Verb | 1. | pull back - pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb" back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, back out, retreat, pull back, withdraw - make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity; "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns" go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" fall back - move back and away from; "The enemy fell back" retreat, retrograde - move back; "The glacier retrogrades" |
| 2. | pull back - use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ) pull - apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion; "Pull the rope"; "Pull the handle towards you"; "pull the string gently"; "pull the trigger of the gun"; "pull your knees towards your chin" | |
| 3. | pull back - move to a rearward position; pull towards the back; "Pull back your arms!" | |
| 4. | pull back - stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow); "The archers were drawing their bows" pull back - move to a rearward position; pull towards the back; "Pull back your arms!" stretch - pull in opposite directions; "During the Inquisition, the torturers would stretch their victims on a rack" | |
| 5. | pull back - make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity; "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns" |
Translations
? pull back
vt sep → zurückziehen
vi (lit) → sich zurückziehen; to pull back (from doing something) (fig) → einen Rückzieher machen (und etw nicht tun) (inf); he pulled back from confrontation → er zog sich aus der Konfrontation zurück
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