Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Slang One who uses subterfuge, private influence, or underhand means to reach a goal.
  • noun One who pulls wires or strings, as of puppets.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who pulls the wires, as of a puppet.
  • noun Hence One who operates by secret means; one who exercises a powerful but secret influence; an intriguer.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who pulls the wires, as of a puppet; hence, one who uses secret influence (i.e. pulls wires or strings) for his own ends; an intriguer.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun one who uses secret influence (i.e. pulls wires or strings) for his own ends

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word wirepuller.

Examples

  • He was known as a "wirepuller," and the other wire-pullers of his party used to meet in his office and discuss matters.

    Beauty and the Beast: and Tales of Home 1872

  • He was known as a "wirepuller," and the other wire-pullers of his party used to meet in his office and discuss matters.

    Beauty and the Beast, and Tales of Home Bayard Taylor 1851

  • He had no executive experience—Washington was a former commander-in-chief and plantation owner; Jefferson was getting valuable training as chief wirepuller of an opposition party.

    America's First Dynasty Richard Brookhiser 2002

  • O hero amongst men, as a wooden doll is made to move its limbs by the wirepuller, so are creatures made to work by the Lord of all.

    The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose Vana Parva, Part 1 Kisari Mohan [Translator] Ganguli

  • The real organizer of the revolution and its actual wirepuller the international Jew, had correctly estimated the situation.

    Mein Kampf Hitler, Adolf, 1889-1945 1925

  • They were needed for a certain time at least, and only after the Moors had done their duty,1 could the wirepuller venture to give them the kicks they had coming to them and take the Republic out of the hands of the old state servants and surrender it into the claws of the revolutionary vultures.

    Mein Kampf Hitler, Adolf, 1889-1945 1925

  • And only in this way is it possible for the real wirepuller to remain carefully in the background and never personally be called to responsibility.

    Mein Kampf Hitler, Adolf, 1889-1945 1925

  • "You were lucky to have such an attractive wirepuller," I frigidly announced.

    The Prairie Mother Arthur Stringer 1912

  • Occupation in peace, with a reduced establishment, was not easy to get, and his brother, an inveterate wirepuller, must needs know to whose favor Nelson owed it.

    The Life of Nelson Mahan, A. T. 1897

  • Occupation in peace, with a reduced establishment, was not easy to get, and his brother, an inveterate wirepuller, must needs know to whose favor Nelson owed it.

    The Life of Nelson, Volume 1 (of 2) The Embodiment of the Sea Power of Great Britain 1877

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.