I am not sure about the meanings of these expressons;
- Pull a Monica
- Pull a Nancy
What do these “pull” mean?
Thanks.
“Pull” in this context usually means “to act in the manner of.” If someone does something significant, funny, bad or distinctive, you can say you’ll pull a (insert name).
Hi Pooh,
‘Pull’ here means ‘do’/‘act’.
Inspired by the television show Friends, “pulling a Monica” refers to doing something very wrong, messing it up entirely. Monica Geller’s parents came up with the term “to pull a Monica”. However, to confuse the issue, later in the same show another character, Phoebe, totally altered the meaning in order to try to cheer Monica up. She said that ‘pulling a monica’ meant getting something absolutely perfect. So it can refer to completely opposite scenarios… either to do something perfectly or to do something very badly!
I wouldn’t advise using the term as it has grown to have sexual connotations. I’m sending you a PM to explain.
‘Pulling a Nancy’ or ‘Pulling a Nancy Drew’ is to fake something to escape a situation. This was inspired by the fictional character Nancy Drew, who uses the same technique: feigning unconsciousness until her captor looses his grip, then running away.
This has also developed sexual connotations so should be avoided. See the PM.
thanks but…
How can I see the private message?
Oh, yeah, I’ve got the PM!! Thanks!
was the expression “Pull a Monica” invented by her parents?
I thought there had been a similar expressions before and her parents just used it.
By the way, I pulled a Nacy somtimes to make him happy. LOL
Monica: Okay, uh, please don’t freak out, um, but, uh, there’s a blue fingernail in… in one of the quiche cups. And there’s no way to know which one.
Phoebe: And whoever finds it wins the prize.
Monica: You bet that I’d screw up? All that stuff about hiring me because I was good was…
Mrs. Geller: No no no, that was all true. This was just in case you pulled a Monica.
Monica: You promised Dr. Weinberg you’d never use that phrase.