Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Jun 30, 2016 12:20
7 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term
pull someone up
English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I'm translating a witness statement from a Scottish security guard:
One night two of the workers went out in a white car that pulled them up. I spoke to the guy in charge but he wasn't pleased about it.
The statement is handwritten and "puled" is spelled with a single "l" - I'm wondering whether I'm misreading it.
One night two of the workers went out in a white car that pulled them up. I spoke to the guy in charge but he wasn't pleased about it.
The statement is handwritten and "puled" is spelled with a single "l" - I'm wondering whether I'm misreading it.
Responses
3 +6 | Picked up | Phoenix III |
Change log
Jul 5, 2016 12:39: Phoenix III Created KOG entry
Responses
+6
39 mins
Selected
Picked up
They were either hitching a ride or knew the driver. If it had been a taxi the guard would have said so. A "white car" means a private vehicle. So, I think they were simply asking for a ride or someone they knew "the white car" that picked them up.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
philgoddard
: But "white car" doesn't mean private vehicle, it means a car that's white in colour.
5 mins
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Right, the color has nothing to do but the guard said "white" instead of "taxi". Thanks so much!
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agree |
Andrew Bramhall
: ' pulled up' is a poor choice of word here; it means to slow down to a halt, or to call someone to account, normally;
1 hr
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Thanks a million!
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agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
: I agree that 'white car' indicates a privat vehicle. If it was any kind of company vehicle or taxi, the guard would have said so.
1 hr
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Many thanks!
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agree |
acetran
3 hrs
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Thanks.
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agree |
Yasutomo Kanazawa
1 day 21 hrs
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Many thanks!
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agree |
Tony M
4 days
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Thank you, Tony
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks"
Discussion
As Tony M says, people can pull up people (nothing to do with cars, but rather "reprimand") or a driver can pull up a car, but a car cannot pull up people.
It sounds to me as if the security guard is saying that two workers went of in a white care and the security guard then stopped them, which would be the normal meaning of 'to pull up'
Unless it is the 'them' that is wrong, in which case the car might have 'pulled up' level with the gatehouse, for example — another possible meaning if it is used intransitively.
It's going to be hard to get to the bottom of this unless the rest of your text perhaps makes it clearer?