Word of the Day: Pull
The word “pull” is almost always used as a verb. Use “pull” when you bring something towards you, or when you open something such as a door or a drawer.
| simple | past | past participle |
|---|---|---|
|
pull
|
pulled
|
pulled
|
- She pulled on the door, but she couldn’t open it.
- He’s pulling a block of stone up a hill.
- If he pulls on the rope, his friend will fall out of his chair.
The word “pull” sounds like many other words. Listen to the differences among these:
pull / pole / pool / Paul
There are many verb phrases that make use of the word “pull.” Notice how the meaning changes with the addition of a preposition:
- pull over: go to the side of the road
I pulled over to the side of the road because my tire was flat.
- pull into: enter
Helen pulled her car into the garage and left it there.
- pull out of: leave; exit
Jeremy pulled himself out of of the race because his leg hurt.
- pull up: drive up to a place and stop
You can pull up to the next window to get your food. (This kind of a sentence is often heard at a drive-thru restaurant like McDonald’s or Burger King.)
- pull down: take down or off
The doctor told the man to pull down his pants so that he could see what was wrong with his leg.
- pull through: survive an accident or a sickness
After several weeks in the intensive care unit, the little girl pulled through and made a successful recovery.
- pull off: to accomplish; to be successful
Their company was able to pull off yet another profitable quarter while other similar companies lost money.
- pull from: get; choose a person
We’re lucky to have so many talented people to pull from in this organization
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with P page to see the list of all words starting with letter P. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
