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pull strings

pull strings English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Jul 29 2010

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

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“My friend asked me to pull some strings to get him a new job.”

- Jason on why he’s covered in string.

2. Video - Watch the video before learning the definition.

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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influence through favors or manipulation

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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Mason notices that Jason is covered in string. He is slowly pulling it all over himself. How strange! He asks Jason what he is doing and Jason explains that a friend who needs a new job asked him to pull some strings for him.

It seems Jason is making an extreme mess because he’s confused. When someone asks you to pull some strings for them, they don’t want you to do anything with actual string. They want you to use your influence or position to do them a favor.

Mason brings Jason the phone and he calls someone he knows and gets a new job for his friend. That’s how you pull strings. It’s too bad that just after Jason realizes this, he tries to high five Mason and gets tangled and falls down.

People ask their friends and family to pull strings for them for all sorts of things. If you get it in trouble, you might ask someone you know who works for the government to pull some strings for you. If you want to get into a particular college, you might ask someone who goes there if they can pull any strings.

Have you ever asked someone to pull strings for you? Do you have any strings you can pull for your close friends?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“He only got into college because his father is powerful in the community and pulled some strings.”

“After she got in trouble, she asked her policeman friend to pull some strings for her to get her out of it.”

“So you want to be an actor? I have a few strings I can pull for you in the film industry.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

pull some strings= use someone's power so as to get a job
by Mr.Bean's wife
saeedrezvi to excert influance secretly
by saeedrezvi
primula It means to help someone especially when you have an influence on important people to do what you want
by primula
mari mina To use personal connections to obtain a position.
by mari mina
utopia292 try to find job for him by contacting to others means help him to find a job.
by utopia292
nono_cute hmmmm i think it means to do my best with the boss or something just to let him have the job
by nono_cute
chomo to use your influence in order to get an advantage for sb
by chomo
mecklybver to use influential contacts
by mecklybver
use someone's influence to get something
by Bitten by an Arab bug
to exert personal influence, esp secretly or unofficially
by Miss Talant
Gaby313 it means to use influence to help someone.
by Gaby313

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Comments

Log in to Comment

chanchan01

Viet Nam

well, using someone's power to do someone else a favor is commonplace; especially, it it connected with delicate issues such as applying for a job, gaining high position in a company without fair competition, or seeing the doctor with no order in hospital…In my country, this is not excluded.

03:24 PM Mar 30 2011 |

khawlina

United Arab Emirates

one should use his social rank in order to help his friends to achieve their goals or get a good job

08:23 PM Feb 27 2011 |

blxwinner

blxwinner

China

funny..

01:47 AM Sep 12 2010 |

pagecai

pagecai

China

I realy donot think this is a good idea to get a job. This method means you have owen something to your friend.

02:26 PM Aug 29 2010 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Hummm This is the same "skip steps"...I guess if it is used for good things or even as a help it will be great,but if used as cheating or run over anyone,this is really bad!

I have already done it some times but who ever did it?

07:45 PM Aug 08 2010 |

rebel lee

rebel lee

China

Lots of people think "pull strings" is kinda ditry. But I think it's OK. As long as there are strings you can pull, why not. And I believe that kind of thing is very popular all over the world.

02:49 PM Aug 05 2010 |

riseflight

China

to use personal relationships to help another one

05:41 AM Aug 03 2010 |

peachmuse

peachmuse

Thailand

Yes! and I need someone to pull some strings for me too

02:08 AM Aug 02 2010 |

anna_poland

Poland

I always help my friend if I've got such a chance. And of course they pull some strings if I need a help, e.g when I got a seasonal job :)

08:51 PM Aug 01 2010 |

beatrice02

Taiwan

It is always my pleasure to pull strings for my friend and family.

03:21 PM Aug 01 2010 |

xin7

xin7

Chile

hahaha jason is so funny xD

10:05 PM Jul 30 2010 |

foz12

foz12

Saudi Arabia

it's helping who  need job or what ever 

pull strings for who need it < I like the slang

09:08 PM Jul 29 2010 |

beov

beov

Brazil

i used pull strings when I started studing. My father was teacher.

08:47 PM Jul 29 2010 |

rosendo

rosendo

Mexico

it always has existed here in my country in all aspects ,  but the most common is in the goverment enviroment.

saludos.

06:41 PM Jul 29 2010 |

lixoye777

lixoye777

Mexico

wow!!!  interesting phrase unfortunately "pull some strings" is somehing that most people practice specially when finding a  position, but for me a position is somethinfg that everyone has to gain, well  I guess sometimes is necesary hehehehe

06:39 PM Jul 29 2010 |

spacedragon

Brazil

to get my first job haha 

04:53 PM Jul 29 2010 |

bhuvan.ram

bhuvan.ram

India

ok …... thats good now i will pull my strings for myself

04:36 PM Jul 29 2010 |

fahadcom

fahadcom

Saudi Arabia

if you want to help somebody from family or friends, you must be a minister,  a rich man or a big employee in government, college or a company in these cases you will be able to pull strings for anyone you wantCool.

12:52 PM Jul 29 2010 |

laura329

laura329

China

In this society,we should ask someone to pull strings for us to do most things.It's so common to get a job through friends or relatives' influence and position.But most successful people usually depend on themselves.

12:37 PM Jul 29 2010 |

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