PULL

I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ~ian; akin to Middle Low German pulen to shell, cull Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. to exert force upon so as to cause or tend to cause motion toward the force, to stretch (cooling candy) repeatedly , to strain abnormally , to hold back (a racehorse) from winning, to work (an oar) by drawing back strongly, 2. to draw out from the skin , to pluck from a plant or by the roots , extract , to hit (a ball) toward the left from a right-handed swing or toward the right from a left-handed swing, to draw apart ; rend , tear , to print (as a proof) by impression, to remove from a place or situation , to bring (a weapon) into the open , 8. perform , carry out , commit , perpetrate , 9. put on , assume , to act or behave in the manner of , 10. to draw the support or attention of ; attract , obtain , secure , to demand or obtain an advantage over someone by the assertion of , intransitive verb 1. to use force in drawing, dragging, or tugging, to move especially through the exercise of mechanical energy , c. to take a drink, to draw hard in smoking , to strain against the bit, to draw a gun, to admit of being ~ed, to feel or express strong sympathy ; root , to move back from the line of scrimmage and toward one flank to provide blocking for a ballcarrier, ~er noun II. noun Usage: often attributive Date: 14th century 1. the act or an instance of ~ing, b. a draft of liquid, an inhalation of smoke, the effort expended in moving , force required to overcome resistance to ~ing , 2. advantage , special influence, proof 6a, a device for ~ing something or for operating by ~ing , a force that attracts, compels, or influences ; attraction , an injury resulting from abnormal straining or stretching