In england, refers to the ability of an individual to attract the opposite (or desired) sex. As in

"Bob sure has pull, look at the birds flocking around him. 'Cor, I can't see what they seem in him, he's just a wanker."

In the United States, the noun 'pull' can be used to denote a measure of influence, i.e. "Because Bob has a lot of pull on the city council, our neighborhood streets never have potholes for very long."

KANJI: IN hi (pull, draw, tug, jerk, admit, quote)

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Character Etymology:

The left part is a bow and the right verticle stroke is a taunt bowstring. However, other scholars see this as more of a figurative character as something going from relaxed to something that is streched.

A Listing of All On-Yomi and Kun-Yomi Readings:

on-yomi: IN
kun-yomi: hi(ku) hi(ki) hi(ki-) -bi(ki) hi(keru)

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: ina hiki hike biki

English Definitions:

1. IN, hi(ku): draw, pull, haul, tug, jerk, drag, bend; lead (horses or captives); draw (lines); admit; install (utilities); quote, refer to; look up (words); subtract, reduce; apply, daub on; catch (a cold); retreat, withdraw, retire; subside.
2. hi(kaseru): redeem, wansome.
3. hi(keru): close, be over; can discount;
4. hi(ke): closing (of an office, school, etc.).; leaving (work); retiring; defeat, reverse; loss.
5. hi(ki): flattery, patronage, pull, backing; discount.
6. -bi(ki): coated with, plated with.
7. -hi(ki): emphatic verbal prefix.

Character Index Numbers:

New Nelson: 1681
Henshall: 77

Unicode Encoded Version:

引

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

引力 (inryoku): gravitation, attraction.
字引 (jibiki): dictionary.
引火する (inka (suru)): to catch fire.

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Though I am not aware of other demographics or areas around the world, for young people in the UK, to pull somebody has become primarily to mean to kiss/get off with/French kiss/snog/make out with someone.

When I started secondary school, the verb for this was to snog. By the time we were all thirteen, this sounded immature. From somewhere, people began to refer to pulling. Now, any other phrase but kiss is answered with noises of ridicule and cries of "What did you just say?!"

Pull (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pulled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pulling.] [AS. pullian; cf. LG. pulen, and Gael. peall, piol, spiol.]

1.

To draw, or attempt to draw, toward one; to draw forcibly.

Ne'er pull your hat upon your brows. Shak.

He put forth his hand . . . and pulled her in. Gen. viii. 9.

2.

To draw apart; to tear; to rend.

He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate. Lam. iii. 11.

3.

To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward one; to pluck; as, to pull fruit; to pull flax; to pull a finch.

4.

To move or operate by the motion of drawing towards one; as, to pull a bell; to pull an oar.

5. Horse Racing

To hold back, and so prevent from winning; as, the favorite was pulled.

6. Print.

To take or make, as a proof or impression; -- hand presses being worked by pulling a lever.

7. Cricket

To strike the ball in a particular manner. See Pull, n., 8.

Never pull a straight fast ball to leg. R. H. Lyttelton.

To pull and haul, to draw hither and thither. " Both are equally pulled and hauled to do that which they are unable to do. " South. -- To pull down, to demolish; to destroy; to degrade; as, to pull down a house. " In political affairs, as well as mechanical, it is easier to pull down than build up." Howell. " To raise the wretched, and pull down the proud." Roscommon. To pull a finch. See under Finch. To pull off, take or draw off.<-- (b) to perform (something illegal or unethical); as, to pull off a heist [robbery]. (c) to accomplish, against the odds.-->

© Webster 1913.

Pull (?), v. i.

To exert one's self in an act or motion of drawing or hauling; to tug; as, to pull at a rope.

To pull apart, to become separated by pulling; as, a rope will pull apart. -- To pull up, to draw the reins; to stop; to halt. To pull through, to come successfully to the end of a difficult undertaking, a dangerous sickness, or the like.

© Webster 1913.

Pull, n.

1.

The act of pulling or drawing with force; an effort to move something by drawing toward one.

I awakened with a violent pull upon the ring which was fastened at the top of my box. Swift.

2.

A contest; a struggle; as, a wrestling pull.

Carew.

3.

A pluck; loss or violence suffered.

Two pulls at once; His lady banished, and a limb lopped off. Shak.

4.

A knob, handle, or lever, etc., by which anything is pulled; as, a drawer pull; a bell pull.

5.

The act of rowing; as, a pull on the river.

6.

The act of drinking; as, to take a pull at the beer, or the mug.

Dickens.

7.

Something in one's favor in a comparison or a contest; an advantage; means of influencing; as, in weights the favorite had the pull.

8. Cricket

A kind of stroke by which a leg ball is sent to the off side, or an off ball to the side.

The pull is not a legitimate stroke, but bad cricket. R. A. Proctor.

© Webster 1913.