pull-down

See also: pull down and pulldown

English

Alternative forms

• pulldown

Etymology

Deverbal from pull down.

Noun

pull-down (countable and uncountable, plural pull-downs)

1. (computing) A dynamic menu; a list of options in a computer application which appears below a heading when it is selected, and remains only as long as the user needs it.

   Coordinate terms: dropdown, drop-down

2. (biology) A technique by which a protein is brought down in a test tube by another.
3. (signal processing) The conversion of video footage to a higher frame rate by duplicating certain frames.
   • 2013, David Mellor, Sound Person's Guide to Video, page 216:

     When a TV monitor is in shot, and the film is transferred to video through the normal 2:3 pulldown there will be a strobing effect where the film and video frame rates clash.

4. (usually uncountable) Dodder (plant of genus Cuscuta).
5. (juggling) A trick done with rings where each ring is pulled down over the head instead of being caught and held in the hand.
   • 1994, Haggis McLeod, KNOW THE GAME - JUGGLING, →ISBN:

     Another classic trick with rings is the 'pull-down'. This can only be done with rings that fit easily over your head.

   • 2004, Luke Holman, Hardest, most tech trick on the net, May 12 2004 via Google Groups

     For example, the 11 ring pulldown didn't stick in my head because I don't really juggle rings, and I have no conception of how hard it is.

6. (exercise) An exercise mostly performed by pulling cables, a bar, or handles from a machine situated diagonally to the front top of the sportsman and targetting the rear muscles.

Derived terms

• lat pulldown

Translations

dodder — see dodder

exercise

• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: ylätalja
• German: Pulldown m
• Swedish: latsdrag n

See also

• pull-down assay
• retractable

Adjective

pull-down (not comparable)

1. That can be pulled down (lowered).
   • 1964 July, Brian Haresnape, “XP64: New Standard Carriage Project”, in Modern Railways, page 4, photo caption:

     The new seating in the second-class open coach; note the newspaper racks and the pull-down tables on the seat-backs.