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pull off

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pull off (something)

to steer or turn a vehicle off the road. I pulled off the road and rested for a while. I had to pull off and rest.

See also: off, pull

pull something off

 

1. Inf. to manage to make something happen. Yes, I can pull it off. Do you think you can pull off this deal?

2. and pull something off (of) someone or something Lit. to tug or drag something off someone or something else. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Sam pulled the covers off the bed and fell into it, dead tired. He pulled off his clothes and stepped into the shower.

See also: off, pull

pull off something

also pull something off

to succeed in doing something difficult or unexpected He won five straight games and pulled off one of the tournament's biggest upsets. I don't know how you pulled it off, but we're now $5,000 richer than we were yesterday.

See also: off, pull

pull off

Accomplish, bring off, especially in the face of difficulties or at the last minute. For example, I never thought we'd ever stage this play, but somehow we pulled it off. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]

See also: off, pull

pull off

v.

1. To remove something by pulling: I sat down and pulled off my boots. Someone pulled the antenna off your car.

2. To extract, remove, or take someone or something from something, such as an assignment or public posting: The network pulled the show off the air when viewers began to complain. The editor pulled the reporter off the story.

3. To exit some roadway or lane of traffic: The car pulled off the highway, and the police followed it onto a country road. Let's pull off at the next rest area and get something to eat.

4. To perform something in spite of difficulties or obstacles; bring something off: The team pulled off a last-minute victory after being down 15 points at halftime. We didn't think we could complete the project before the deadline, but somehow we pulled it off.

See also: off, pull