pull over

Carole was going more than 75 mph when the policeman pulled her over.

pull (power)

President Douglass had such pull in the state capital that he was able to get increased funding for the university's building plans

pull (one's) punches

Lester doesn't pull his punches. He tells people exactly what he thinks about them.

pull ahead

The brown horse and the gray horse were running together around most of the racetrack. The gray only began to pull ahead in the last mile. He won the race by a few feet.

pull (one's) weight

Sylvia's teammates were angry with her because she didn't pull her own weight. They felt she didn't work hard enough to help the team.

pull (oneself) up by (one's) bootstraps

Maribel admired Edwin's family very much. They had been very poor, but had pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps and were now almost rich.

pull (oneself) together

The football player was really upset by the foul call. Finally he pulled himself together and went on with the game.

pull rank

The general got more food than the other soldiers because he pulled rank.

pull (one's)leg

When Everett said he was going to join the circus, I thought he was pulling my leg. I didn't believe him.

like pulling teeth

Trying to get the students to talk during the pronunciation class was like pulling teeth. They really did not want to speak.

pull (something) off

Everyone at school was surprised when the young students had their very successful show. No one thought they would pull it off!

pull the rug out from under

Things were going fine with the new building when the president pulled the rug out from under the project. When he refused to sponsor it the whole thing died.

pull strings

Ethel had to pull strings in order to get the job for her son. She knows a lot of influential people.

pull the plug

We were having such a great time, but Dad really pulled the plug and told us it was time for bed.

pull something out of a hat/out of thin air

We were surprised when our partner pulled the deal out of thin air.

pull the wool over (someone's) eyes

I had thought Imaculata was such an honest person until the police arrested her. I guess she just pulled the wool over my eyes!

pull through

The woman was so badly hurt in the car crash that we worried that they wouldn't pull through.

pull a fast one

The salesman really pulled a fast one. He sold Kathleen and Jim an expensive diamond, but then he put a cheaper diamond in the box just before they left the store.