haul

[hawl]

verb (used with object)

1. to pull or draw with force; move by drawing; drag.

   They hauled the boat up onto the beach.

2. to cart or transport; carry.

   The locomotive hauled freight over the Wasatch Mountains between Ogden, Utah, and Green River, Wyoming.

3. to lower; cause to descend (often followed bydown ).

   As the students gathered around the flagpole, the school custodian hauled down the flag.

4. to bring before an authority (often followed by before, in, to, into, etc.).

   He was hauled before the judge.

   She hauled me into the principal’s office.

verb (used without object)

1. to pull or tug with force or effort.

   The sailors hauled on the oars as hard as they could.

2. to go or come to a place, especially with effort.

   After much carousing in the streets, they finally hauled into the tavern.

3. to cart or transport, or to move freight commercially.

   Ours is one of many Canadian trucking companies hauling south of the border.

4. Nautical.

   1. to sail, as in a particular direction.

      They sailed to the west of Corsica, and then hauled south again.

   2. to draw or pull a vessel up on land, as for repairs or storage.

   3. (of the wind) to shift to a direction closer to the heading of a vessel (veer ).

   4. (of the wind) to change direction, shift, or veer (often followed by round orto ).

      During the early morning hours the wind hauled northward and increased in intensity, with accompanying heavy seas.

noun

1. a strong pull or tug.

   He felt a sudden haul on the other end of the rope.

2. an act or instance of transporting something, or the load or quantity transported.

   You have so little stuff to move, I can probably do it in two hauls with my pickup.

3. the distance or route over which anything is transported or carried.

   I’ve been using this truck for a year now on a weekly 30-mile haul.

4. Fishing.

   1. the quantity of fish taken at one draft of the net.

      We got such a huge haul of fish that we could hardly carry them home.

   2. the draft of a fishing net.

   3. the place where a seine is hauled.

5. the act of taking or acquiring something, or something taken or acquired.

   The thieves' haul included several valuable paintings.

6. Digital Technology.,  a video, photo, or report of something taken or acquired.

   He shops the flea markets over the weekend and then posts his haul on Monday afternoon.

verb phrase

1. haul up

   1. to bring before a superior for judgment or reprimand; call to account.

      They were hauled up on a drug trafficking charge.

   2. to come to a halt; stop.

      As night was falling we finally hauled up at an old farmhouse owned by a friendly couple.

   3. Nautical.,  to change the course of (a sailing vessel) so as to sail closer to the wind.

   4. Nautical.,  (of a sailing vessel) to come closer to the wind.

   5. Nautical.,  (of a vessel) to come to a halt.

2. haul off

   1. Nautical.,  to change a ship's course so as to get farther off from an object.

   2. to withdraw; leave.

   3. Informal.,  to draw back the arm in order to strike; prepare to deal a blow.

      He hauled off and struck the insolent lieutenant a blow to the chin.

haul

/ hɔːl /

verb

1. to drag or draw (something) with effort

2. (tr) to transport, as in a lorry

3. nautical to alter the course of (a vessel), esp so as to sail closer to the wind

4. (tr) nautical to draw or hoist (a vessel) out of the water onto land or a dock for repair, storage, etc

5. (intr) nautical (of the wind) to blow from a direction nearer the bow Compare veer 1

6. (intr) to change one's opinion or action

noun

1. the act of dragging with effort

2. (esp of fish) the amount caught at a single time

3. something that is hauled

4. the goods obtained from a robbery

5. a distance of hauling

   a three-mile haul

6. the amount of a contraband seizure

   arms haul

   drugs haul

7. 1. in a future time

   2. over a lengthy period of time

Other Word Forms

• rehaul verb
• unhauled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of haul¹

First recorded in 1550–60; earlier hall, variant of hale ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of haul¹

C16: from Old French haler, of Germanic origin; see _hale ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. haul / shag ass, to get a move on; hurry.

2. haul in with, to approach.

3. haul around,

   1. to brace (certain yards of a sailing vessel).

   2. (of the wind) to change in a clockwise direction.

More idioms and phrases containing haul

• long haul
• rake (haul) over the coals

Synonym Study

See draw.

Example Sentences

The leader of the rail workers union Fectrans claimed that some workers had complained that problems with the tension of the cable that hauls the carriages had made braking difficult.

From BBC

It looks, for now at least, like Helton will stay at Georgia Southern for the long haul.

From Los Angeles Times

Root maintained his effortless rhythm and England hauled themselves into contention.

From BBC

"The size of the haul is significant and indicates the depth of the alleged offending," John De Candia from South Australia Police said.

From BBC

“Fifty-five bags of trash,” interrupted Mather, leaning across the table to announce the morning haul.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bring 
• carry 
• cart 
• drag 
• heave 
• hoist 
• lift 
• lug 
• pack 
• rake 
• remove 
• ride 
• tote 
• tow 
• transport