# pull up

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pull-up
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to stop a vehicle you are driving, usually at a specific place like a house or a curb.

For teachers: to bring a vehicle to a halt at a specific location. Often used intransitively where the vehicle or the driver is the subject.

## Examples

- The taxi pulled up outside the hotel.
- As soon as the car pulled up at the curb, the children jumped out to greet their grandmother.
- The black sedan pulled up silently alongside the curb, its tinted windows offering no clue as to the identity of the passenger within.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The police signaled the driver to pull up." but "The police signaled the driver to pull over." — Learners often confuse 'pull up' with 'pull over', which specifically describes moving to the side of the road to stop.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a prepositional phrase like 'at the door' or 'outside the house'.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'pull over', which implies moving to the side of the road to stop for a specific reason like an emergency or police request.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.