pull down

present singular third person pulls down · participle present pulling down · participle past pulled down · past pulled down

1. transitiveTo make (something) lower (especially of clothes).
2. transitiveTo demolish or destroy (a building etc.).

   Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the Suburbs be puld downe?

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

   2 more examples

   At Kiwi, 40 miles from Nelson [New Zealand], eight women installed themselves in the goods shed, taking with them their knitting, and a supply of food and magazines. The demolition crew was unable to pull the building down without injuring them.

   1955 December, “Notes and News: Women Delay Railway Demolition”, in Railway Magazine, page 878

   In the latter years of its existence, BR was rationalising its estate by pulling down station buildings which were too large for its modern operational needs, or by shutting off parts of them when demolition was not an option. Kilmarnock station falls into this latter category. It dominates the townscape, but its operational importance has seriously diminished since electrification of the West Coast Main Line.

   2021 December 15, Robin Leleux, “Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Bam Nuttall Partnership Award: Kilmarnock”, in RAIL, number 946, page 58

3. transitiveTo cause to fall to the floor

   The home side got themselves in a mess again after 12 minutes when Victor Ruiz pulled down Ramires just outside the box. Lampard drilled a low free-kick past the wall but Diego Alves was down quickly to turn the ball away.

   2011 September 28, Jon Smith, “Valencia 1 - 1 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport