English · Word Candidate

haul

/hɔːl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: hauls · hauling · hauled

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To transport by drawing or pulling, as with horses or oxen, or a motor vehicle.

Verb

Examples

to haul logs to a sawmill

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To draw or pull something heavy.

Verb

Examples

Thither they bent, and haul'd their ſhip to land, / (The crooked keel divides the yellow ſand) / Ulyſſes ſleeping on his couch they bore, / And gently plac'd him on the rocky ſhore.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

An act of hauling or pulling, particularly with force; a (violent) pull or tug.

Noun

Examples

So I rigged my big salmon rod, and when I heard him splashing in the shallows across the pool, I put a few Alka Seltzer tablets onto the hook and cast into the darkness. There was a splash and a haul on my line, and this time I struck with both hands and then began pulling and horsing as hard as I c

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

The distance over which something is hauled or transported, especially if long.

Noun

Examples

Getting to his place was a real haul.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “haul” mean?

To transport by drawing or pulling, as with horses or oxen, or a motor vehicle.

Is “haul” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.