pull back
- Verb (transitive & intransitive):
- To move something or someone backwards or away from a previous position: To cause something to move in a rearward direction.
- To retreat or withdraw from a situation, commitment, or physical location: To decide not to do something previously agreed upon or to move away from a place, especially for safety or strategic reasons.
- To stretch something back, like a bowstring: To draw something taut in preparation for release.
- (Medical) To retract tissue or skin: To use an instrument to hold open the edges of a wound or organ during surgery.
Verb (Transitive):
- The general ordered the troops to pull back to a more defensible position.
- Please pull back the curtain to let in more light.
- The surgeon had to pull back the skin to access the underlying muscle.
Verb (Intransitive):
- After the initial advance, the army began to pull back.
- He promised to help, but he pulled back at the last minute.
- The car pulled back from the intersection.
"to pull back from something": To withdraw from an agreement, plan, or risky situation.
- The investors pulled back from the deal due to market uncertainty.
"to pull back the veil on something": To reveal or expose something that was hidden (often used metaphorically).
- The documentary pulls back the veil on the inner workings of the industry.
Pullback (noun): An act of withdrawing or retreating.
- The economic pullback affected many businesses.
Pull away (phrasal verb): To move away from a place or person. (Note: This is a distinct phrasal verb with a similar but separate meaning of starting to move).
- Withdraw: To remove oneself or to retreat.
- Retreat: To move back, especially from danger or a confrontation.
- Retract: To draw back or in.
- Recede: To move back or away.
Pull out: To withdraw or remove oneself from a situation or commitment. (Often interchangeable with "pull back" in contexts of withdrawal).
- The company decided to pull out of the negotiations.
Pull in: To restrain or curb (as in "pull in one's horns," a synonym for retreating from a bold position).
Pull back from the brink: To retreat from the very edge of a disaster or dangerous situation.
- Diplomatic talks helped the nations pull back from the brink of war.
Pull your punches: To hold back or restrain your criticism or force (metaphorically related to holding back).
- In his review, he didn't pull his punches; he was brutally honest.
- make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity
- We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him
- He backed out of his earlier promise
- The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns
- stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow)
- The archers were drawing their bows
- move to a rearward position; pull towards the back
- Pull back your arms!
- use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)
- pull back or move away or backward
- The enemy withdrew
- The limo pulled away from the curb