pull
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An advantage, or hold upon another; "I’ve the PULL over (or of) you," i.e., you are in my power—perhaps an oblique allusion to the judicial sense. See the following.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “pull” mean?
An advantage, or hold upon another; "I’ve the PULL over (or of) you," i.e., you are in my power—perhaps an oblique allusion to the judicial sense. See the following.
Is “pull” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.