The term pull-haul, meaning “a verbal conflict,” is heard in New England, particularly Maine. A 1914 citation in the Dictionary of American Regional English alludes to all the pull-hauling among churches when a new congregant moves to town. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Pull-Haul”
I found a great term the other day that was new to me.
And Grant, the term is pull haul.
Pull haul.
Not like the place where you spent your misspent youth, but P-U-L-L hyphen H-A-U-L.
Pull haul.
And this is common in New England, or at least in Maine.
But to pull haul is to argue or contend.
A pull haul is an old term that means a struggle.
Oh, I see.
Yeah.
So two people pulling and hauling back and forth.
Yeah, yeah.
Sort of a push me, pull you.
Interesting.
A pull haul is a verbal conflict.
There was a citation in the Dictionary of American Regional English from 1914 in Maine that goes,
Whenever a new person comes to town, there is a lot of pull hauling among the churches.
Pull hauling.
Can’t you just picture that?
All these churches, somebody new moves to a little town and the churches are pole hauling,
Trying to get that person to come to their church.
Every new church member is precious.
I love that.
I love that.
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