pulled the door to against the increasing rain

[Gabriel Aparta]

Hi, please, from The Great Gatsby:

With his hands still in his coat pockets he stalked by me into the hall, turned sharply as if he were on a wire, and disappeared into the living-room. It wasn’t a bit funny. Aware of the loud beating of my own heart I pulled the door to against the increasing rain.

What does that mean? It sounds like a really strange construction to my non native ears, to against. What do you guys think please?

Thanks!

 

[sdgraham]

I pulled the door to against the increasing rain =
I closed the door to block the increasing rain

See also: drew the door to

I now see that the aforementioned post was from you.

 

[Andygc]

Not "I pulled the door to against the increasing rain".
"I pulled the door to against the increasing rain".
The verb "pull to" is a phrasal verb, usually used separably. I pulled the door to = I closed the door (as sdg wrote in post 2).

 

[velisarius]

The point is that it's a phrasal verb: draw the door to (almost close the door). Against the rain - to keep out the rain.

(It does look strange, I agree. A native speaker parses the sentence correctly and, in case you are wondering, a comma would be wrong there.)

(crossposted)

Apparently it means "close" the door, though in my book it always means "almost close the door, but not quite".

 

[You little ripper!]

pull to

pull something to
to close something, usually a door of some type. The door is open a little. Pull it to so no one will hear us. Please pull the door to.

 

[Andygc]

Apparently it means "close" the door, though in my book it always means "almost close the door, but not quite".

I'd be less specific. If I pull the door to the catch might not engage, so "almost closed", but it equally well might, so "closed".

 

[velisarius]

If I'd written The Great Gatsby, it would read "I pulled the door shut against the rain" - unless it means that he left it open just a crack, to let in some air.

I find a lot of Fitzgerald's English really strange.

 

[Gabriel Aparta]

I now see that the aforementioned post was from you.

True hehehe, also thanks a lot to everybody!

I'd be less specific. If I pull the door to the catch might not engage, so "almost closed", but it equally well might, so "closed".

I guess this is another example of pull the door to (not a comma) the catch might not engage. Right velisarius?

Thanks!

 

[velisarius]

Here's a discussion of the phrase:

Pull it to - phrase meaning and origin

In the given context it would mean "pulled the door shut", because the intention is to keep the rain out. If the catch doesn't engage, unless there's no breeze at all, it's unlikely that the door would remain shut.