Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to pull wires

to pull wires

9.3
To secretly get people to do what you want for personal gain
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : manipular
  • He managed to get the job because he knew how to pull wires behind the scenes.

Examples

  • Some politicians are accused of pulling wires to secure favors for their supporters.

  • She tried to pull wires in order to get her friend out of trouble with the authorities.

  • Don't pull wires just to win the game!

  • He pulled wires to get the job.

  • She tried to pull wires to influence the decision of the committee for her own benefit.

  • Some politicians are known to pull wires in order to shape policy decisions favoring their interests.

  • He often pulls wires to make sure his projects receive funding from influential backers.

Synonyms

to manipulate
vsto pull wires
382 6.1

To control people or things in a clever, often dishonest way

prefers secret, devious means for personal gain rather than open clever control
to pull strings
vsto pull wires
64 6.0

To secretly use people you know to get what you want

uses secret or devious methods mainly for personal gain rather than relying on connections

How Influential

to control
∞ 2.4
to pull wires
  • Informal
9.3
to manipulate
382 6.1
influence
806 2.3

Surface Forms

pull wires infinitive
pulled wires past
pulled wires past participle
pulling wires present participle
pulls wires third person singular

Morphology

pull + wires

The literal meanings of 'pull' (to exert force) and 'wires' (cables/controls) create a clear metaphor of manipulating controls, so a learner might guess some sense of influencing or manipulating. However, the specific idiomatic nuance — covert or devious use of influence for personal gain — is not fully predictable from the parts and requires prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Pull wires may come from the image of a puppet master: the word pull refers to pulling hidden wires that make puppets move while the master stays 'behind the scenes'. That's why to pull wires today means to secretly influence or control people or events to get what you want.