Definition

1. Verb (Intransitive):
   • To move oneself or one's vehicle away from a place or person, creating distance.
   • To start moving forward or departing, especially in a vehicle.
   • To detach or separate oneself from a close association or emotional involvement.

Usage and Examples

• Literal Movement (Vehicle): Used to describe a vehicle beginning to move from a stationary position.
  • The bus pulled away from the stop just as I arrived.
  • She started the car and pulled away from the curb smoothly.
• Literal Movement (Person/Group): Used to describe a person or group creating physical distance.
  • As the dog barked, the child pulled away in fear.
  • The runner pulled away from the pack in the final lap.
• Figurative/Emotional Distance: Used to describe becoming emotionally or socially distant.
  • After the argument, he began to pull away from his friends.
  • The teenager pulled away from her parents as she sought more independence.

Advanced Usage

• "to pull away from": This is the most common construction, specifying the point of origin or separation.
  • The train pulled away from the platform.
  • It's hard to pull away from a gripping book.

Variants and Related Words

• Pull back (verb): Often synonymous with retreat or withdraw.
  • The general ordered the troops to pull back.
• Withdraw (verb): A more formal synonym meaning to remove or retreat.
  • The company decided to withdraw its offer.

Synonyms

• Depart: To leave, especially to start a journey.
• Recede: To move back or away, often gradually.
• Retreat: To move away from a difficult situation or enemy.
• Draw back: To move away from something, often due to fear or surprise.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Pull back: To retreat or move backwards; to reduce involvement.
  • They had to pull back their forces.
• Pull out: To depart (especially a vehicle from a side road or parking spot); to withdraw from a situation or commitment.
  • The truck pulled out in front of me without signaling.
  • The athlete had to pull out of the race due to injury.

Related Idioms

• Make a clean getaway: To depart successfully and completely (often used in contexts of escape).
  • The thieves made a clean getaway before the police arrived. (This implies they successfully pulled away.)

Verb

1. pull back or move away or backward
   • The enemy withdrew
   • The limo pulled away from the curb