pull-down

1 of 2

adjective

ˈpu̇l-ˌdau̇n 

: being or appearing below a selected item (such as an icon) in a window overlaying the original view on a computer display

The Mac screen offered help from cartoons, pointing devices, and commands on pull-down screens, making it vastly easier to comprehend than the nearly blank screen IBM presented.

—Brian O'Reilly

pull down

2 of 2

verb

pulled down; pulling down; pulls down

transitive verb

1

a

: demolish, destroy

b

: to hunt down : overcome

2

a

: to bring to a lower level : reduce

b

: to depress in health, strength, or spirits

3

: to draw or earn (wages or salary)

Synonyms

Verb

• annihilate
• cream
• decimate
• demolish
• desolate
• destroy
• devastate
• do in
• extinguish
• nuke
• pulverize
• raze
• rub out
• ruin
• shatter
• smash
• tear down
• total
• vaporize
• waste
• wrack
• wreck

Examples of pull-down in a Sentence

Verb

a powerful storm pulled down the old fishing shack, which had been immortalized in countless paintings

an ugly billboard that was eventually pulled down

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

American walnut beams highlight the ceiling, while a pull-down faucet doubles as a chic sun catcher. —Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar, Architectural Digest, 27 Sep. 2024

Or create extra space for lawn mower storage with a pull-down, lift-up shelf. —Michelle Ullman, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2024

Verb

The ornate piece looks like a box, but de Lesseps pulls down the top to reveal a doll-sized secretary’s desk. —Amanda Lauren, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

In return, Withers secured an extra paper allocation which enabled British Vogue to survive when other magazines pulled down the shutters. —Robin Muir, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1983, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

pull-down

adjective

ˈpu̇l-ˌdau̇n

: appearing on a computer screen below a selected item

a pull-down menu