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What is "to pull a finch"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
To pull a finch

Pull \Pull\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pulled; p. pr. & vb. n. Pulling.] [AS. pullian; cf. LG. pulen, and Gael. peall, piol, spiol.]

  1. To draw, or attempt to draw, toward one; to draw forcibly.

    Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows.
    --Shak.

    He put forth his hand . . . and pulled her in.
    --Gen. viii. 9.

  2. To draw apart; to tear; to rend.

    He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
    --Lam. iii. 11.

  3. To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward one; to pluck; as, to pull fruit; to pull flax; to pull a finch.

  4. To move or operate by the motion of drawing towards one; as, to pull a bell; to pull an oar.

  5. (Horse Racing) To hold back, and so prevent from winning; as, the favorite was pulled.

  6. (Print.) To take or make, as a proof or impression; -- hand presses being worked by pulling a lever.

  7. (Cricket) To strike the ball in a particular manner. See Pull, n.,

  8. Never pull a straight fast ball to leg.
    --R. H. Lyttelton.

    To pull and haul, to draw hither and thither. `` Both are equally pulled and hauled to do that which they are unable to do. ''
    --South.

    To pull down, to demolish; to destroy; to degrade; as, to pull down a house. `` In political affairs, as well as mechanical, it is easier to pull down than build up.''
    --Howell. `` To raise the wretched, and pull down the proud.''
    --Roscommon.

    To pull a finch. See under Finch.

    To pull off, take or draw off.

To pull a finch

Finch \Finch\ (f[i^]nch), n.; pl. Finches (f[i^]nch"[e^]z). [AS. finc; akin to D. vink, OHG. fincho, G. fink; cf. W. pinc a finch; also E. spink.] (Zo["o]l.) A small singing bird of many genera and species, belonging to the family Fringillid[ae].

Note: The word is often used in composition, as in chaffinch, goldfinch, grassfinch, pinefinch, etc.

Bramble finch. See Brambling.

Canary finch, the canary bird.

Copper finch. See Chaffinch.

Diamond finch. See under Diamond.

Finch falcon (Zo["o]l.), one of several very small East Indian falcons of the genus Hierax.

To pull a finch, to swindle an ignorant or unsuspecting person. [Obs.] ``Privily a finch eke could he pull.''
--Chaucer.