pull back
phrasal verbwithpullverbuk/pʊl/us/pʊl/
tomovebackwardsor away from someone:
Heleanedforwardtokissher but shepulledback.
Michellepulledbackfromhermotherandwipedthetearsfrom hereyes.
mainlyUS
todecidenot to do orinvolveyourself with something when you werepreviouslygoing to:
Thenewsis that thecompanyintendstopullbackfrompetrochemicals.
Businesses have alreadypulledbackoncorporatetravel.
(of amilitaryforce) tomoveback from anattackingposition:
Afterpullingback, thetankswaitedforfighterplanesandhelicoptergunships toattackthebuilding.
Once thetroopspulledbackfromthearea, theinsurgentsreappeared.
(ofprices,rates, etc.) tobecomeloweror less :
Stockpricespulledback withinminutesof the Fed'sannouncement, beforeresumingtheirrise.
We were down 3percentwhen wereportedinJuly, but theratepulledback to a 1.8percentfallsince then.
If apersonorteamthat islosingpullsback, theyscoreagoalorwinapointor somepoints. :
The Vikingspulledbacktowithin 10pointsat thebreak.
Making short, sudden movements
- aquiver
- convulse
- convulsion
- convulsive
- cringe
- flick
- jerkily
- jerkiness
- jerky
- jig
- jiggle
- quake
- quiver
- shaky
- shudder
- squirm
- toss
- tremulous
- whip
- worry atsomething
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Abstaining and refraining
Responding to an attack
Stopping fighting
Becoming and making smaller or less
Winning, losing & scoring in sport