draw (drɔː
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: draws, drawing, drew, drawn
- to cause (a person or thing) to move towards or away by pulling
- to bring, take, or pull (something) out, as from a drawer, holster, etc
- (tr) to extract or pull or take out ⇒
to draw teeth
to draw a card from a pack
- (tr) off to take (liquid) out of a cask, keg, tank, etc, by means of a tap
- (intr) to move, go, or proceed, esp in a specified direction ⇒
to draw alongside
- (tr) to attract or elicit ⇒
to draw a crowd
draw attention
- (tr) to cause to flow ⇒
to draw blood
- to depict or sketch (a form, figure, picture, etc) in lines, as with a pencil or pen, esp without the use of colour; delineate
- (tr) to make, formulate, or derive ⇒
to draw conclusions, comparisons, parallels
- (tr) to write (a legal document) in proper form
- (tr) in to suck or take in (air, liquid, etc) ⇒
to draw a breath
- (intr) to induce or allow a draught to carry off air, smoke, etc ⇒
the flue draws well
- (tr) to take or receive from a source ⇒
to draw money from the bank
- (tr) to earn ⇒
draw interest
- (tr) finance to write out (a bill of exchange or promissory note) ⇒
to draw a cheque
- (tr) to choose at random ⇒
to draw lots
- (tr) to reduce the diameter of (a wire or metal rod) by pulling it through a die
- (tr) to shape (a sheet of metal or glass) by rolling, by pulling it through a die or by stretching
- archery to bend (a bow) by pulling the string
- to steep (tea) or (of tea) to steep in boiling water
- (tr) to disembowel ⇒
draw a chicken
- (tr) to cause (pus, blood, etc) to discharge from an abscess or wound
- (intr) (of two teams, contestants, etc) to finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc; tie
- (tr) bridge whist to keep leading a suit in order to force out (all outstanding cards)
- See draw trumps
- (tr) billiards to cause (the cue ball) to spin back after a direct impact with another ball by applying backspin when making the stroke
- (tr) to search (a place) in order to find wild animals, game, etc, for hunting
- golf to cause (a golf ball) to move with a controlled right-to-left trajectory or (of a golf ball) to veer gradually from right to left
- (tr) curling to deliver (the stone) gently
- (tr) nautical (of a vessel) to require (a certain depth) in which to float
- See draw a blank
- See draw and quarter
- See draw stumps
- See draw the line
- See draw the short straw
- See draw the shot
noun
- the act of drawing
- US a sum of money advanced to finance anticipated expenses
- an event, occasion, act, etc, that attracts a large audience
- a raffle or lottery
- something taken or chosen at random, as a ticket in a raffle or lottery
- a contest or game ending in a tie
- US Canadian a small natural drainage way or gully
- a defect found in metal castings due to the contraction of the metal on solidification
Alternative Forms
ˈdrawable adjectiveWord Origin
Old English dragan; related to Old Norse draga; Old Frisian draga, Old Saxon dragan, Old High German tragan to carryUsage examples
He shuddered to a halt, eyes drawn to the centre of the silencer.
, CHAMELEON (2002)He was never attracted to the idea of classical art and timelessness but drawn towards Rococo interiors and decorative arts.
Country Life (2005)Mark Kennedy and Lee Carsley must have drawn considerable comfort from his comments.
Irish Times (2002)He said:'We believe that we couldn't have been drawn against any tougher opponents out of the group.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Tidal movement in the tropics is considerable, and a drifting raft could easily have been drawn into the orbit of mainland Australia.
, ABORIGINE DREAMING: Introduction to the Wisdom and Thought of the Aboriginal Traditions of Australia (2002)