Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
on the pull

on the pull

1 9.9
Trying to meet someone to start a romantic or sexual relationship
  • idiom
  • NSFW
translation icon : en busca de pareja
  • You can tell she's on the pull by how she's chatting to everyone at the bar.

Examples

  • He went out last night specifically to be on the pull.

  • Whenever they're on the pull, they dress to impress and hit the clubs.

  • He's definitely on the pull tonight!

  • Are you on the pull at the party?

  • She went to the bar on Saturday night, excited to be on the pull and meet new people.

  • After a long week, he decided to hit the club, hoping to be on the pull this weekend.

  • During the party, many singles were clearly on the pull, mingling and looking for flirting opportunities.

Synonyms

to chase
vson the pull
  • NSFW
194 4.0

To try to start a romantic relationship with someone

is about actively looking around socially rather than pursuing one person
to chase after
vson the pull
  • NSFW
11 3.7

To try to begin a romantic relationship with someone

is about actively looking socially rather than aiming at one person

How Active

to pick up
  • NSFW
126 8.2
on the pull
  • NSFW
1 9.9
to chat up
  • NSFW
4 7.8
flirting
43 3.5

Surface Forms

on the pull positive

Morphology

on + the + pull

The meaning is partly inferable because 'on' marks being engaged in an activity and 'pull' can mean 'to attract/pick up' in informal British English, so a learner who knows that sense could deduce someone is actively seeking partners. However, the noun phrase 'the pull' and the slang/dialectal usage are not a standard compositional pattern and may be unfamiliar to a B1 learner, making the expression not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

On the pull probably comes from the idea of pull meaning to draw someone closer — picture someone at a bar trying to 'pull' a person in to start a romantic or sexual chat. That's why it now means 'actively looking to attract a partner'.