PULL BACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pull back mean? 

• PULL BACK (verb)
  The verb PULL BACK has 5 senses:

1. pull back or move away or backward

2. use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)

3. move to a rearward position; pull towards the back

4. stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow)

5. make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity

  Familiarity information: PULL BACK used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PULL BACK (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pull back or move away or backward

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

draw back; move back; pull away; pull back; recede; retire; retreat; withdraw

Context example:

The limo pulled away from the curb

Hypernyms (to "pull back" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

back away; back out; crawfish; crawfish out; pull back; pull in one's horns; retreat; withdraw (make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pull back"):

fall back (move back and away from)

retreat; retrograde (move back)

back down; back off; back up (move backwards from a certain position)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

pullback ((military) the act of pulling back (especially an orderly withdrawal of troops))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

draw back; pull back; retract

Hypernyms (to "pull back" is one way to...):

pull (apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move to a rearward position; pull towards the back

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

Pull back your arms!

Hypernyms (to "pull back" is one way to...):

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Verb group:

draw; pull back (stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow)

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

draw; pull back

Context example:

The archers were drawing their bows

Hypernyms (to "pull back" is one way to...):

stretch (pull in opposite directions)

Verb group:

pull back (move to a rearward position; pull towards the back)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

back away; back out; crawfish; crawfish out; pull back; pull in one's horns; retreat; withdraw

Context example:

The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns

Verb group:

draw back; move back; pull away; pull back; recede; retire; retreat; withdraw (pull back or move away or backward)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

 Context examples 

As a Virgo, you are known to be hard working, but during this month, pull back from your computer and turn your attention to your private life.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I found I could pull back the bolts easily enough and unhook the great chains; but the door was locked, and the key was gone!

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Mercury will be retrograde most of the month, until November 20, giving you a chance to pull back and review decisions and actions you have taken over the past year.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Holiday time is always hectic, but this full moon will give you a chance to pull back, catch your breath, and decide what you’d like to accomplish in the coming year, 2020.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)