What is the meaning of pulling?

noun

  • The act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you.
    • usage: "the pull up the hill had him breathing harder"; "his strenuous pulling strained his back"

verb

  • Cause to move by pulling.
    • usage: "draw a wagon"; "pull a sled"
  • Direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes.
    • usage: "Her good looks attract the stares of many men"; "The ad pulled in many potential customers"; "This pianist pulls huge crowds"; "The store owner was happy that the ad drew in many new customers"
  • Move into a certain direction.
    • usage: "the car pulls to the right"
  • Apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion.
    • usage: "Pull the rope"; "Pull the handle towards you"; "pull the string gently"; "pull the trigger of the gun"; "pull your knees towards your chin"
  • Perform an act, usually with a negative connotation.
    • usage: "perpetrate a crime"; "pull a bank robbery"
  • Bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover.
    • usage: "draw a weapon"; "pull out a gun"; "The mugger pulled a knife on his victim"
  • Steer into a certain direction.
    • usage: "pull one's horse to a stand"; "Pull the car over"
  • Strain abnormally.
    • usage: "I pulled a muscle in my leg when I jumped up"; "The athlete pulled a tendon in the competition"
  • Cause to move in a certain direction by exerting a force upon, either physically or in an abstract sense.
    • usage: "A declining dollar pulled down the export figures for the last quarter"
  • Operate when rowing a boat.
    • usage: "pull the oars"
  • Rein in to keep from winning a race.
    • usage: "pull a horse"
  • Tear or be torn violently.
    • usage: "The curtain ripped from top to bottom"; "pull the cooked chicken into strips"
  • Hit in the direction that the player is facing when carrying through the swing.
    • usage: "pull the ball"
  • Strip of feathers.
    • usage: "pull a chicken"; "pluck the capon"
  • Remove, usually with some force or effort; also used in an abstract sense.
    • usage: "pull weeds"; "extract a bad tooth"; "take out a splinter"; "extract information from the telegram"
  • Take sides with; align oneself with; show strong sympathy for.
    • usage: "We all rooted for the home team"; "I'm pulling for the underdog"; "Are you siding with the defender of the title"
  • Take away.
    • usage: "pull the old soup cans from the supermarket shelf"
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APAWordNet. (2010). pulling. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/pulling/definitions/1304645
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "pulling" http://smartdefine.org/pulling/definitions/1304645 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, pulling, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/pulling/definitions/1304645>.
MLAWordNet. "pulling" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/pulling/definitions/1304645>
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