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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

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andee1

andee1

China

i had ever pulled some strings for my friend's husband and had him get a job.

08:44 AM Jul 29 2010 |

branden

branden

South Korea

I also want someone to pull some stings for me ~~^^

08:06 AM Jul 29 2010 |

why not ?!

why not ?!

Saudi Arabia

This is what we call ' Vitamine W ' over here .. lol

I think this way is mostly against justice but sometimes, it is considered the only way to have some of your simple rights. So, it depends, according to the case.

Yeah, I think that I asked for help once or twice from my close friends but to have some rights.

And no I'm not that person with alot of relations. So, I can't help.

06:44 AM Jul 29 2010 |

fanguanghua

China

help sb by your influence and ralationship

04:07 AM Jul 29 2010 |

su mint

su mint

China

by somebody's influence or positon to get what you want

01:40 AM Jul 29 2010 |

primula

primula

Saudi Arabia

I think it's UNFAIR to pull strings in order to obtain something effortless while others exert their efforts but all their efforts are in vain just because the don't know anyone who can pull some strings for them. Here in my country in specific and in most arab countries you can't go a step forward in any governmental field whithout knowing a person who can pull some strings Frown

12:45 AM Jul 29 2010 |

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