haul
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to pull or carry something that is very heavy or difficult to move.
v.to pull or drag with great effort or force; often implies the transport of heavy goods over a distance.
Simple“The fishermen had to haul the heavy nets back onto the boat.”
In context“The salvage crew spent several hours trying to haul the waterlogged debris from the harbour floor before the tide turned.”
UsageOften used with 'up', 'down', or 'away' to indicate direction.
- 02 C1 Advanced
v.to force someone to go somewhere to be punished or to answer questions.
v.to compel someone to appear for a formal hearing, trial, or disciplinary action.
Simple“The manager hauled him into the office to explain why he was late.”
In context“The CEO was hauled before the parliamentary committee to testify regarding the company's recent accounting discrepancies.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrase 'haul someone over the coals' or 'haul someone before a judge'.
Teacher's tipThis sense carries a strong connotation of authority and lack of choice for the person being moved.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a large amount of something that has been stolen, caught, or bought.
n.the quantity of something caught or taken at one time, such as fish, stolen goods, or purchases.
Simple“The thieves left behind most of their haul when the alarm went off.”
In context“After a successful morning at the local markets, she displayed her haul of vintage clothing and handmade ceramics on the dining table.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
n.a video where someone shows and talks about things they have recently bought.
n.a social media video format in which a creator displays and reviews a collection of recently purchased items.
Simple“She posted a massive makeup haul on her channel yesterday.”
In context“The influencer's latest fashion haul garnered millions of views within hours, significantly boosting the featured brand's weekend sales.”
UsageOften used as a modifier, as in 'haul video'.
Teacher's tipThis is a very common term in modern internet culture, particularly on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a long distance or a task that takes a long time.
n.a distance to be traversed, or a period of sustained effort.
Simple“It is a long haul from the city to the coast, so we should leave early.”
In context“The recovery process will be a long haul, requiring months of intensive physical therapy and dedicated rest.”
UsageCommonly found in the idioms 'long haul' and 'short haul'.
Teacher's tipExplain that 'long-haul' is frequently used as an adjective for international flights.
Usage hauled in for questioning
“Two cars, one van, and six motorcycles later, it’s still the box I haul out to the driveway when something is on the fritz.”
From Middle English hālen, hailen, haulen, halien (“to drag, pull; to draw up”), from Old French haler (“to haul, pull”), from Frankish halōn (“to drag, fetch, haul”) or Middle Dutch halen (“to drag, fetch, haul”), possibly merging with Old English halian (“to haul, drag”); all from Proto-Germanic halōną, halēną, hulōną (“to call, fetch, summon”), from Proto-Indo-European kelh₁- (“to call, cry, summon”). The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates The word is cognate with Danish hale (“to haul”), Middle Dutch halen (“to draw, fetch, haul”), Dutch halen (“to fetch, bring, haul”), Old Frisian halia, Saterland Frisian halen (“to draw, haul, pull”), Low German halen (“to draw, pull”), Old High German halôn, holôn, German holen (“to fetch, get”), Norwegian hale (“to haul”), Old Saxon halôn (“to fetch, get”), Swedish hala (“to hale, haul, pull, tug”), and related to Old English ġeholian (“to get, obtain”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.