Pull Meaning
/pʊl/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force.
verbTo gather with the hand, or by drawing toward oneself; to pluck or pick (flowers, fruit, etc.).
Sentence Examples
Pull into shape after washing.
Pull your car out a bit, I can't back my car out.
I gave the door a sharp pull and it opened.
CEFR Practice Quiz
To open the heavy metal door, you must ____ it firmly toward you.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She had to ____ the heavy door open with both hands because the hinges were stiff.
Word Origin & History
Verb from Middle English pullen, from Old English pullian (“to pull, draw, tug, pluck off”), of uncertain ultimate origin. Related to West Frisian pûlje (“to shell, husk”), Middle Dutch pullen (“to drink”), Middle Dutch polen (“to peel, strip”), Low German pulen (“to pick, pluck, pull, tear, strip off husks”), Icelandic púla (“to work hard, beat”). Noun from Middle English pul, pull, pulle, from the verb pullen (“to pull”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"He put forth his hand […] and pulled her in."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 8:9:
"Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows."
— c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
"He and some of his companions one day entered a garden in the suburbs, and having indulged their appetites, desired to know what satisfaction they must make for the fruit they had pulled."
— 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
"Television, a favored source of news and information, pulls the largest share of advertising monies."
— 2002, Marcella Ridlen Ray, Changing and Unchanging Face of United States Civil Society:
"While the pimp can always pull a ho with his magnetism, he can never pull a nun. The nun is too in touch with her own compassionate and honest spirit to react to a spirit as negative and deceitful as that of the pimp."
— 2011, Russell Simmons, Chris Morrow, Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
To open the heavy metal door, you must ____ it firmly toward you.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She had to ____ the heavy door open with both hands because the hinges were stiff.