Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Pull \Pull\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pulled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Pulling}.] [AS. pullian; cf. LG. pulen, and Gael. peall,
   piol, spiol.]
   1. To draw, or attempt to draw, toward one; to draw forcibly.

            Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows.  --Shak.

            He put forth his hand . . . and pulled her in.
                                                  --Gen. viii.
                                                  9.

   2. To draw apart; to tear; to rend.

            He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in
            pieces; he hath made me desolate.     --Lam. iii.
                                                  11.

   3. To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward one; to
      pluck; as, to pull fruit; to pull flax; to pull a finch.

   4. To move or operate by the motion of drawing towards one;
      as, to pull a bell; to pull an oar.

   5. (Horse Racing) To hold back, and so prevent from winning;
      as, the favorite was pulled.

   6. (Print.) To take or make, as a proof or impression; --
      hand presses being worked by pulling a lever.

   7. (Cricket) To strike the ball in a particular manner. See
      {Pull}, n., 8.

            Never pull a straight fast ball to leg. --R. H.
                                                  Lyttelton.

   {To pull and haul}, to draw hither and thither. `` Both are
      equally pulled and hauled to do that which they are unable
      to do. '' --South.

   {To pull down}, to demolish; to destroy; to degrade; as, to
      pull down a house. `` In political affairs, as well as
      mechanical, it is easier to pull down than build up.''
      --Howell. `` To raise the wretched, and pull down the
      proud.'' --Roscommon.

   {To pull a finch}. See under {Finch}.

   {To pull off}, take or draw off.

Finch \Finch\, n.; pl. {Fishes}. [AS. finc; akin to D. vink,
   OHG. fincho, G. fink; cf. W. pinc a finch; also E. spink.]
   (Zo["o]l.)
   A small singing bird of many genera and species, belonging to
   the family {Fringillid[ae]}.

   Note: The word is often used in composition, as in chaffinch,
         goldfinch, grassfinch, pinefinch, etc.

   {Bramble finch}. See {Brambling}.

   {Canary finch}, the canary bird.

   {Copper finch}. See {Chaffinch}.

   {Diamond finch}. See under {Diamond}.

   {Finch falcon} (Zo["o]l.), one of several very small East
      Indian falcons of the genus {Hierax}.

   {To pull a finch}, to swindle an ignorant or unsuspecting
      person. [Obs.] ``Privily a finch eke could he pull.''
      --Chaucer.