haul

views updated May 11 2018

haul / hôl/ • v. 1. [tr.] (of a person) pull or drag with effort or force: he hauled his bike out of the shed. ∎  Naut. pull on (a rope). ∎  (haul oneself) propel or pull oneself with difficulty: he hauled himself along the cliff face. ∎ inf. force (someone) to appear for reprimand or trial: they will be hauled into court next week. ∎  [intr.] (of a person) pull hard: she hauled on the reins.2. [tr.] (of a vehicle) pull (an attached trailer or load) behind it: the train was hauling a cargo of liquid chemicals. ∎  transport in a truck or cart: Bennie hauls trash in North Philadelphia.3. [intr.] (esp. of a sailing ship) make an abrupt change of course.• n. 1. an amount of something gained or acquired: the movie increased $59,177 over its haul from the previous week. ∎  a quantity of something that was stolen or is possessed illegally: they escaped with a haul of antiques. ∎  the number of points, medals, or titles won by a person or team in a sporting event or over a period. ∎  a number of fish caught.2. a distance to be traversed: the thirty-mile haul to Tallahassee. See also long haul, short haul.PHRASES: haul ass inf. move or leave fast.haul off inf. leave; depart. ∎  withdraw a little in preparation for some action: he hauled off and smacked the kid.

haul

views updated Jun 08 2018

haul pull, drag; trim (sails) XVI; (of the wind) veer XVIII. Earliest form hall; var. of HALE2.
So haulier XV (hallier). — OF. hallier.

Haul

views updated Jun 08 2018

Haul

a single draft of fish; anything caught or taken at one time. See also cast, catch.

Examples: haul of fish, 1885; of salmon, 1780.