Search Result for "to pull a finch":

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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. [1913 Webster] Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows. --Shak. [1913 Webster] He put forth his hand . . . and pulled her in. --Gen. viii. 9. [1913 Webster] 2. To draw apart; to tear; to rend. [1913 Webster] He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate. --Lam. iii. 11. [1913 Webster] 3. To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward one; to pluck; as, to pull fruit; to pull flax; to pull a finch. [1913 Webster] 4. To move or operate by the motion of drawing towards one; as, to pull a bell; to pull an oar. [1913 Webster] 5. (Horse Racing) To hold back, and so prevent from winning; as, the favorite was pulled. [1913 Webster] 6. (Print.) To take or make, as a proof or impression; -- hand presses being worked by pulling a lever. [1913 Webster] 7. (Cricket) To strike the ball in a particular manner. See Pull, n., 8. [1913 Webster] Never pull a straight fast ball to leg. --R. H. Lyttelton. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Finch \Finch\ (f[i^]nch), n.; pl. Finches (f[i^]nch"[e^]z). [AS. finc; akin to D. vink, OHG. fincho, G. fink; cf. W. pinc a finch; also E. spink.] (Zool.) A small singing bird of many genera and species, belonging to the family Fringillid[ae]. [1913 Webster] Note: The word is often used in composition, as in chaffinch, goldfinch, grassfinch, pinefinch, etc. [1913 Webster] Bramble finch. See Brambling. Canary finch, the canary bird. Copper finch. See Chaffinch. Diamond finch. See under Diamond. Finch falcon (Zool.), 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. [1913 Webster]