pull
pull — verb
1. to grip something firmly and apply effort to draw it toward yourself, especially
to grip something firmly and apply effort to draw it toward yourself, especially when it is heavy or stuck
Haruto pulled the heavy wooden door toward him and stepped inside.
pull + object + toward [person]
Sari pulled on the rope until the bucket rose from the well.
pull + on + [object]
The suitcase was too heavy for Beatrix to pull up the stairs alone.
A strong hand pulled Aaron back just before he stepped into the street.
- push
to move something away from you
文法句型
pull + object
pull + object + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Commonly combined with direction words such as 'up', 'aside', 'toward', 'back', and 'open'. Also appears in 'pull on' when referring to a rope, handle, or strap.
常見錯誤
2. to serve beer from a barrel by operating a hand pump, usually in a pub or bar
to serve beer from a barrel by operating a hand pump, usually in a pub or bar
The bartender pulled a pint of dark ale for the customer.
pull a pint of [drink]
Élise enjoys pulling pints at her local pub on Friday evenings.
Mauricio asked the barman to pull him a cold lager.
The pub owner pulled three pints in under a minute for the lunch crowd.
- draw
a more formal or dated word for serving beer from a barrel
文法句型
pull + a + pint/beer/drink
用法筆記
This sense is most common in British pubs. The expression 'pull a pint' is a fixed phrase that describes the action of operating the hand pump. In American English, bartenders typically use a tap lever rather than a hand pump.
3. to grip an object firmly and bring it out of a place, container, or surface, oft
to grip an object firmly and bring it out of a place, container, or surface, often with some effort
Eli pulled a crumpled tissue from his jacket pocket.
pull + object + from [place]
The dentist had to pull Wei's bad tooth because it was causing pain.
Nia pulled the old nail out of the wooden board with a pair of pliers.
Darius pulled the plug from the sink so the water could drain away.
- insert
to put something into a place
文法句型
pull + object + out/from/off
用法筆記
Often appears with the adverb 'out' as a separable particle: 'pull out a tooth' or 'pull a tooth out'. The object may be something stuck, embedded, or hidden inside a container or body.
常見錯誤
4. to decide that something should not be shown, broadcast, or released to the publ
to decide that something should not be shown, broadcast, or released to the public, usually because it is considered offensive, incorrect, or inappropriate
The newspaper pulled the article after readers complained about the errors.
pull + publication [article/ad/book]
Joshua's controversial interview was pulled from the website within hours.
passive: be pulled from [platform]
The publisher decided to pull the book before it reached the stores.
The advertising team pulled the campaign following complaints about its content.
- publish
to make something available to the public
文法句型
pull + noun phrase (ad/campaign/article/book)
用法筆記
Frequently used in passive voice. The object is typically something published or about to be published: an advertisement, article, TV show, film, book, or social media post. Related idiom: 'pull the plug on something' means to stop it from continuing.
常見錯誤
5. in sports, to decide that one player must leave the game and be replaced by anot
in sports, to decide that one player must leave the game and be replaced by another
The coach pulled the goalkeeper after he let in three quick goals.
Jessica was pulled from the match in the second half with a leg injury.
passive: be pulled from [game]
The manager pulled their best striker and put a defender in instead.
Nicholas got pulled from the game after receiving a second yellow card.
- substitute
more formal; can mean both sending a player in (sub in) and taking them out (sub off)
- bench
informal; to move a player to the bench and stop them from playing
- send on
to put a substitute into the game
文法句型
pull + player + from/in [game/match]
用法筆記
Common in team sports such as football, rugby, hockey, and basketball. The coach or manager is the one who 'pulls' a player. The pulled player is usually replaced immediately by a substitute.
6. to steer a car, bicycle, or other vehicle toward a specific place or along a cho
to steer a car, bicycle, or other vehicle toward a specific place or along a chosen route
Aaron pulled the car into the driveway and turned off the engine.
pull + vehicle + into [place]
The truck driver pulled off the highway when he saw the warning sign.
Wei pulled his bicycle to the side of the road to check the tire.
The train slowly pulled out of the station and headed north.
文法句型
pull + adverb/preposition (into/out of/away/up/over)
用法筆記
This sense is intransitive — the verb must be followed by an adverb or prepositional phrase showing direction. Common combinations include 'pull into' (a space), 'pull out of' (a place), 'pull away' (from something), 'pull over' (to the side of the road), and 'pull up' (to stop).
常見錯誤
7. to grip a fixed object and use physical effort to lift your body up or shift it
to grip a fixed object and use physical effort to lift your body up or shift it forward, as when climbing or squeezing through a tight space
Talia pulled herself up onto the high diving board without using the ladder.
reflexive: pull + yourself + up/forward
The climber pulled hard on the rope to reach the rocky ledge above.
pull + on + object + infinitive of purpose
Joon pulled himself forward through the narrow tunnel inch by inch.
I pulled on the handrail to get up the steep stairs more easily.
The firefighters pulled themselves up the ladder one rung at a time.
文法句型
pull + reflexive pronoun + adverb/preposition
pull + on + noun + to + infinitive
用法筆記
Frequently used with reflexive pronouns (pull yourself up, pull himself forward). A direction word (up, forward, through, along) is almost always needed to complete the meaning.
常見錯誤
8. to make people want to come to a place, event, or activity by being interesting,
to make people want to come to a place, event, or activity by being interesting, exciting, or appealing
The new art exhibition pulled over three hundred visitors on its first day.
pull + number + visitors/crowd
Local bands usually pull a big crowd at the summer music festival.
pull a + (adjective) + crowd
The candidate's speech failed to pull support from undecided voters.
Good museums pull families from all over the region on weekends.
The store's opening sale pulled a long line of customers before dawn.
- repel
to push people away rather than attract them
文法句型
pull + noun phrase (crowd/audience/support)
用法筆記
Object is typically a group noun (crowd, audience, visitors, voters, customers) rather than a single individual. Can also take abstract nouns like support, interest, or funding.
常見錯誤
9. to meet someone for the first time at a bar, party, or club and start an intimat
to meet someone for the first time at a bar, party, or club and start an intimate romantic or sexual encounter with them
Mauricio told his friends he pulled someone at the bar last night.
informal: pull someone (at a location)
Élise laughed when her flatmate asked if she had pulled at the party.
informal: pull (no object) — British slang
Darius said he was not trying to pull anyone that evening, just dancing.
The group joked about who would pull first at the wedding reception.
Olivia had never pulled anyone on a night out and did not care either way.
- pick up
more widely understood across dialects; pull is specifically British informal
- hook up with
more American in usage; includes casual sexual encounters but not necessarily starting a relationship
文法句型
pull + noun phrase (someone)
pull (with no object)
用法筆記
Chiefly British informal slang. The object can be omitted ('Did you pull?') when the context is clear. Avoid this sense in formal or American writing.
常見錯誤
10. to cause sudden pain in a muscle or tendon by stretching or overusing it during
to cause sudden pain in a muscle or tendon by stretching or overusing it during exercise or other physical movement
Darius pulled a hamstring during the final sprint of the race.
pull + a + specific muscle name
The dancer pulled a muscle in her back after a difficult jump.
pull a muscle (in + body area)
Gita had to stop playing when she pulled her shoulder muscle.
Quinn pulled a calf muscle while running up the stairs at work.
The coach told the team to warm up so no one would pull a muscle.
文法句型
pull + noun phrase (a muscle / possessive + body part)
用法筆記
Almost always takes a muscle or body part as object, usually with an indefinite article ('pull a muscle') or a possessive adjective ('pull his hamstring'). Not used for broken bones or joint injuries.
常見錯誤
11. to carry out a dishonest, illegal, or mischievous act such as a trick, crime, or
to carry out a dishonest, illegal, or mischievous act such as a trick, crime, or scam
The gang pulled a clever bank heist that no one saw coming.
pull + a + (adjective) + crime noun
Talia pulled a prank on her brother by hiding his phone in the fridge.
pull a prank/trick on + someone
The hackers pulled a data theft that affected thousands of users.
Christopher admitted he had pulled the same trick on his classmates before.
The police arrested three men for pulling a series of scams across the city.
文法句型
pull + noun phrase (a trick / a stunt / a heist / a scam)
用法筆記
Colloquial alternative to commit, carry out, or perpetrate. Common objects include tricks, pranks, stunts, heists, scams, and robberies. Not typically used with murder, assault, or other violent crimes.
常見錯誤
12. to obtain information from a computer system, website, or database by searching
to obtain information from a computer system, website, or database by searching or requesting it
The app pulls weather data from a government website every hour.
pull + data/noun + from + source
Quinn pulled the customer records from the company database.
You can pull the latest articles directly through the search tool.
The system pulls user information from the online registration form.
Mauricio pulled a sales report from the company server before the meeting.
- push
in computing, sending data to a system rather than requesting it
文法句型
pull + noun phrase + from + noun phrase (database/website/source)
用法筆記
Common in computing and data-handling contexts. Often followed by from to specify the source. Similar to retrieve or fetch but slightly more informal.
常見錯誤
pull — noun
1. the action of using force to draw something closer to you or in the direction yo
the action of using force to draw something closer to you or in the direction you are moving
Lan gave the rope a strong pull, and the boat moved closer to the dock.
pattern: give + noun + a pull
With one quick pull, Noa opened the heavy metal door.
The fisherman felt a pull on his line and knew a fish was biting.
Asher took a deep breath and gave the handle another pull, but the machine still would not start.
- push
the opposite action of moving something away instead of toward you
文法句型
give + noun + a pull
用法筆記
Often used in the pattern 'give something a pull' or 'with a pull' to describe a single action of pulling.
常見錯誤
2. a handle, cord, or knob that you operate by pulling it toward you to open someth
a handle, cord, or knob that you operate by pulling it toward you to open something or make something work
The drawer had no handle, only a small metal pull that was hard to grip.
collocation: metal pull
Romi installed a new pull for the closet door so the children could open it easily.
The light above the bed worked with a simple cord pull hanging from the ceiling.
Sade grabbed the bell pull and rang loudly to call the night guard.
用法筆記
Common in compound forms: bell pull, drawer pull, curtain pull, cord pull.
3. a quality or feature that makes people want to visit a place, attend an event, o
a quality or feature that makes people want to visit a place, attend an event, or choose a product
The main pull of the new park is its huge outdoor swimming pool.
collocation: main pull
For tourists in this city, the biggest pull is the night market with its street food.
collocation: biggest pull
The promise of a high salary was the main pull for Dario when he chose the job.
The circus has lost some of its pull since people started watching shows on television.
文法句型
the + pull + of + noun
用法筆記
Often used with 'main' or 'biggest' to identify the most attractive feature of something.
4. the ability to attract people's interest, attention, or loyalty through charm, q
the ability to attract people's interest, attention, or loyalty through charm, quality, or emotional connection
The pull of the big city was too strong for the young artist to resist.
pattern: the pull of [something]
There is a strange pull between the two main characters that keeps readers turning the pages.
Élise felt the pull of her hometown whenever she heard the music of her childhood.
The film's pull comes from its story about ordinary people doing brave things.
文法句型
the + pull + of + noun
用法筆記
Often used in the phrase 'the pull of something' to describe the attraction of a place, person, or idea. Unlike sense 3, this sense focuses on the power itself rather than a specific attractive feature.
5. special influence or personal advantage that allows someone to shape decisions o
special influence or personal advantage that allows someone to shape decisions or gain benefits through connections
The old family's pull in local politics meant they could get things done quickly.
pattern: pull in [area/domain]
Christopher used his pull with the school board to get more money for new books.
Without the right pull in this industry, it is hard to find good work.
Noor's uncle had some pull at the hospital and helped her get a nursing position there.
文法句型
have + pull + with + noun
用法筆記
Used informally about personal connections giving advantages. This sense is uncountable, so it cannot be used as 'pulls'.
常見錯誤
6. a cricket stroke played by swinging the bat sideways across the body, sending th
a cricket stroke played by swinging the bat sideways across the body, sending the ball toward the leg-side boundary
The batter scored four runs with a well-timed pull to the leg side.
Sofie practiced her pull shot every day until she could send the ball past the fielders.
collocation: pull shot
The crowd cheered when the player hit a powerful pull that crossed the boundary.
Manuela learned to play the pull by watching professional cricket matches on television.
7. a physical injury that happens when a muscle or the tissue connecting bones is s
a physical injury that happens when a muscle or the tissue connecting bones is stretched too far or torn, often causing pain and swelling
Aylin felt a sharp pull in her hamstring during the final lap of the race.
pattern: pull + in + body part (hamstring)
The physiotherapist said the pull in his back would heal with rest and gentle stretches.
Arjun's coach told him to stop once he felt any pull in his calf.
A groin pull kept Nora off the football field for three weeks.
Ice packs and rest are the usual treatment for a minor muscle pull.
- strain
the standard medical term for this injury; pull is more informal and mainly used in sports
- sprain
a sprain specifically refers to a ligament injury, while a pull can affect either muscle or ligament
- tear
a tear suggests a more severe injury with actual ripping of tissue, whereas a pull is usually mild to moderate
文法句型
pull + in + body part
body-part + pull
用法筆記
Frequently used in sports and exercise contexts. The noun pull often appears with a body-part modifier (a hamstring pull, a groin pull) or the pattern pull + in + body part (a pull in the calf). The verb form (He pulled a muscle) is more common in everyday conversation than the noun form.