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[pull oneself together]{v. phr.} To become calm after being excited or disturbed; recover self-command; control yourself. •/It had been a disturbing moment, but he was able to pull himself together./

[pull oneself up by the bootstraps] or [pull oneself up by one’s own bootstraps]{adv. phr.} To succeed without help; succeed by your own efforts. •/He had to pull himself up by the bootstraps./

[pull one’s leg]{v. phr.}, {informal} To get someone to accept a ridiculous story as true; fool someone with a humorous account of something; trick. •/For a moment, I actually believed that his wife had royal blood. Then I realized he was pulling my leg./ •/Western cowboys loved to pull a stranger’s leg./ Compare: STRING ALONG. — [leg-pulling]{n.} •/Strangers were often fooled by the cowboys' leg-pulling./

[pull one’s punches]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not to hit as hard as you can. •/Jimmy pulled his punches and let Paul win the boxing match./ 2. To hide unpleasant facts or make them seem good. — Usually used in the negative. •/The mayor spoke bluntly; he didn’t pull any punches./ Contrast: STRAIGHT PROM THE SHOULDER.

[pull one’s teeth]{v. phr.} To take power away from; make powerless. •/The general pulled the teeth of the rebel army by blocking its ammunition supply line./ •/The student government council was so irresponsible that the principal pulled its teeth./

[pull one’s weight]{v. phr.} To do your full share of work; do your part. •/In a small shop, it is important that each man pull his weight./ •/When Mother was sick in the hospital, Father said each child must pull his own weight./ Compare: WORTH ONE’S SALT.

[pullout]{n.} An evacuation. •/The pullout of the American military proceeded on schedule./

[pull out]{v. phr.} 1. To withdraw; leave unceremoniously. •/The defeated army hastily pulled out of the occupied territories./ 2. To leave (said about trains). •/The train pulled out of Grand Central Station just as the foreign students got there./ 3. To remove by order; evacuate. •/Napoleon pulled his beaten troops out of Russia./

[pull out of a hat]{v. phr.}, {informal} To get as if by magic; invent; imagine. •/When the introduction to a dictionary tells you how many hours went into its making, these figures were not pulled out of a hat./ •/Let’s see you pull an excuse out of your hat./

[pull over]{v.} To drive to the side of the road and stop. •/The policeman told the speeder to pull over./ •/Everyone pulled over to let the ambulance pass./

[pull rank]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To assert one’s superior position or authority on a person of lower rank as in exacting a privilege or a favor. •/How come you always get the night duty? — Phineas Leman pulled rank on me./

[pull something on one]{v. phr.} To perpetrate something prejudicial; deceive. •/Larry pulled a very dirty trick on Ann when, after going with her for three years, he suddenly married another girl./

[pull strings] or [pull wires]{v. phr.}, {informal} To secretly use influence and power, especially with people in charge or in important jobs to do or get something; make use of friends to gain your wishes. •/If you want to see the governor, Mr. Root can pull strings for you./ •/Jack pulled wires and got us a room at the crowded hotel./ — [wire-puller]{n.} •/Bill got a ticket for speeding, but his father is a wire-puller and got it fixed./ — [wire-pulling]{n.} •/It took some wire-pulling to get the mayor to come to the party./

[pull the plug on]{v. phr.}, {slang} To expose (someone’s) secret activities. •/The citizens' committee pulled the plug on the mayor, and he lost his election./

[pull the rug out from under]{v. phr.}, {informal} To withdraw support unexpectedly from; to spoil the plans of. •/Bill thought he would be elected, but his friends pulled the rug out from under him and voted for Vin./ •/We were planning a vacation, but the baby’s illness pulled the rug out from under us./

[pull the wool over one’s eyes]{v. phr.}, {informal} To fool someone into thinking well of you; deceive. •/The businessman had pulled the wool over his partner’s eyes about their financial position./ •/Bob tried to pull the wool over his teacher’s eyes, but she was too smart for him./

[pull through]{v.} 1. To help through; bring safely through a difficulty or sudden trouble; save. •/A generous loan showed the bank’s faith in Father and pulled him through the business trouble./ 2. To recover from an illness or misfortune; conquer a disaster; escape death or failure. •/By a near-miracle, he pulled through after the smashup./

[pull together]{v.} To join your efforts with those of others; work on a task together; cooperate. •/Many men must pull together if a large business is to succeed./ •/Tim was a good football captain because he always got his teammates to pull together./

[pull up]{v.} 1. To check the forward motion of; halt; stop. •/He pulled up his horse at the gate./ 2. To tell (someone) to stop doing something; say (someone) is doing wrong and must stop; scold. •/Jim talked rudely to Mother, and Father pulled him up./ •/Ann said in her report that America was discovered in 1634, and the teacher pulled her up./ 3. To stop moving forward; halt. •/The car slowed down and pulled up at the curb./ 4. To come even with; move up beside. •/The other boat pulled up alongside us./

[pull up one’s socks]{v. phr.} To try to do better, either in terms of one’s behavior or at a task one is performing. •/I’ll have to pull up my socks if I am going to finish my work today./

[pull up short]{v. phr.} To suddenly stop. •/He pulled up short in his red car at the corner when he saw a pregnant lady crossing./ •/When Mark saw that he was hurting Jill’s feelings, he pulled up short and started to talk about something entirely different./