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Definition of Pull strings
1. Verb. Influence or control shrewdly or deviously. "He manipulated public opinion in his favor"
Generic synonyms: Act Upon, Influence, Work
Derivative terms: Manipulation, Manipulative
Definition of Pull strings
1. Verb. (intransitive idiomatic) To manipulate a situation, especially by asking favours of others; to use one's influence with others to attain a desired goal. ¹
2. Verb. (intransitive idiomatic often with ''“the”'' or a possessive adjective (such as ''“his”'') before ''“strings”'') To control a person, organization, or situation by operating behind the scenes, as a puppeteer controls a marionette. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Lexicographical Neighbors of Pull Strings
Literary usage of Pull strings
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. The Autobiography of Thomas Collier Platt: With Twenty Portraits in Sepia by Thomas Collier Platt, Louis Jay Lang (1910)
"The popular idea that in order to be a successful political leader, or a boss,
one must possess ability to pull strings while puppets dance, is most absurd. ..."
2. The Bookman (1895)
"It is more convenient to dress up models of abstractions, pull strings to make
them move in the proper direction, chop up theories into fairly short ..."
3. All Adventure: Child of Storm/A Tale of Three Lions by H. Rider Haggard (2001)
"Yes, yes, I know how to pull strings till the trap falls, and to blow grass until
the flame catches it, and how to puff at that flame until it burns the ..."
4. Port Arthur: A Monster Heroism by Richard Hayes Barry (1905)
"Kodama went and raised Formosa from savagery to commerce and prosperity. He could
have been Prime Minister. " No," he said. " I would rather pull strings ..."
5. Port Arthur: A Monster Heroism by Richard Hayes Barry (1905)
"I would rather pull strings than be one of the strings to be pulled. Russia is
peeking up over the border. Let us prepare. Give me a desk in the War Office. ..."
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