'To pull a finch' definitions:

Definition of 'To pull a finch'

From: GCIDE
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • He put forth his hand . . . and pulled her in. --Gen. viii. 9. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To draw apart; to tear; to rend. [1913 Webster]
  • He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate. --Lam. iii. 11. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward one; to pluck; as, to pull fruit; to pull flax; to pull a finch. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To move or operate by the motion of drawing towards one; as, to pull a bell; to pull an oar. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. (Horse Racing) To hold back, and so prevent from winning; as, the favorite was pulled. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. (Print.) To take or make, as a proof or impression; -- hand presses being worked by pulling a lever. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. (Cricket) To strike the ball in a particular manner. See Pull, n., 8. [1913 Webster]
  • Never pull a straight fast ball to leg. --R. H. Lyttelton. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'To pull a finch'

From: GCIDE
  • 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.] (Zool.) A small singing bird of many genera and species, belonging to the family Fringillid[ae]. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The word is often used in composition, as in chaffinch, goldfinch, grassfinch, pinefinch, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • Bramble finch. See Brambling.
  • Canary finch, the canary bird.
  • Copper finch. See Chaffinch.
  • Diamond finch. See under Diamond.
  • Finch falcon (Zool.), 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. [1913 Webster]