haul
[ hawl ]
/ hɔl /
verb (used with object)
to pull or draw with force; move by drawing; drag: They hauled the boat up onto the beach.
to cart or transport; carry: He hauled freight.
to cause to descend; lower (often followed by down): to haul down the flag.
to arrest or bring before a magistrate or other authority (often followed by before, in, to, into, etc.): He was hauled before the judge.
verb (used without object)
to pull or tug.
to go or come to a place, especially with effort: After roistering about the streets, they finally hauled into the tavern.
to do carting or transport, or move freight commercially.
Nautical.
- to sail, as in a particular direction.
- to draw or pull a vessel up on land, as for repairs or storage.
- (of the wind) to shift to a direction closer to the heading of a vessel (opposed to veer).
- (of the wind) to change direction, shift, or veer (often followed by round or to).
noun
an act or instance of hauling; a strong pull or tug.
something that is hauled.
the load hauled at one time; quantity carried or transported.
the distance or route over which anything is hauled.
Fishing.
- the quantity of fish taken at one draft of the net.
- the draft of a fishing net.
- the place where a seine is hauled.
the act of taking or acquiring something.
something that is taken or acquired: The thieves' haul included several valuable paintings.
Verb Phrases
haul off,
- Nautical. to change a ship's course so as to get farther off from an object.
- to withdraw; leave.
- Informal. to draw back the arm in order to strike; prepare to deal a blow: He hauled off and struck the insolent lieutenant a blow to the chin.
haul up,
- to bring before a superior for judgment or reprimand; call to account.
- to come to a halt; stop.
- Nautical. to change the course of (a sailing vessel) so as to sail closer to the wind.
- Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to come closer to the wind.
- Nautical. (of a vessel) to come to a halt.
Idioms for haul
- to brace (certain yards of a sailing vessel).
- (of the wind) to change in a clockwise direction.
haul around, Nautical.
haul in with, Nautical.
to approach.
- a relatively great period of time: In the long haul, he'll regret having been a school dropout.
- a relatively great distance: It's a long haul from Maine to Texas.
- Nautical. the drawing up on shore of a vessel for a relatively long period of time, as for winter storage or longer.
- a relatively small period of time: For the short haul, he'll be able to get by on what he earns.
- a relatively little distance: The axle wouldn't break for just a short haul.
- Nautical. the drawing up on shore of a vessel for a relatively short period, as for repairs or painting.
haul/shag ass, Slang: Vulgar.
to get a move on; hurry.
long haul,
short haul,
Origin of haul
1550–60; earlier
hall, variant of
hale2
synonym study for haul
1. See
draw.
OTHER WORDS FROM haul
re·haul, verb un·hauled, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH haul
hall haulWords nearby haul
hauf,
haugh,
haughey,
haughty,
hauhau,
haul,
haul off,
haul over the coals,
haul up,
haulage,
haulageway
Example sentences from the Web for haul
Botala remembers that the rebels would pull into the island, loot what they could, and then take the haul back to Stanleyville.
Only a mere $15,000 in cash from the haul was never recovered.
He fell short, taking in less than half that amount, but his haul was enough to scare his primary opponent, Trey Grayson.
Tellingly, both still trail the haul stacked up by The LEGO Movie back in February.
So, I haul off and belt him, two or three times, with my fist.
How much weight a team of eight good dogs can haul depends upon the character of the country and the condition of the snow or ice.
Packing and Portaging |Dillon WallaceSecure the yard by the iron trusses, and haul taut lifts and braces.
The Seaman's Friend |Richard Henry DanaThe stranger, now clearly visible from the deck, was after a time seen to haul to the wind.
The Missing Ship |W. H. G. KingstonShell trim with the staysail, if we haul another reef down, he said.
The Protector |Harold BindlossEvery evening the travellers must find a beach or shelf where they could haul up for the night.
Overland |John William De Forest
British Dictionary definitions for haul
haul
/ (hɔːl) /
verb
to drag or draw (something) with effort
(tr)
to transport, as in a lorry
nautical
to alter the course of (a vessel), esp so as to sail closer to the wind
(tr) nautical
to draw or hoist (a vessel) out of the water onto land or a dock for repair, storage, etc
(intr)
to change one's opinion or action
noun
the act of dragging with effort
(esp of fish) the amount caught at a single time
something that is hauled
the goods obtained from a robbery
a distance of hauling
a three-mile haul
the amount of a contraband seizure
arms haul; drugs haul
in the long haul or over the long haul
- in a future time
- over a lengthy period of time
Word Origin for haul
C16: from Old French
haler, of Germanic origin; see
hale ²
Idioms and Phrases with haul
haul
In addition to the idioms beginning with haul
- haul off
- haul over the coals
- haul up
also see:
- long haul
- rake (haul) over the coals