I. draw 1 S1 W1 /drɔː $ drɒː/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense drew /druː/, past participle drawn /drɔːn $ drɒːn/)
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: dragan ]
1 . PICTURE [intransitive and transitive] to produce a picture of something using a pencil, pen etc:
Katie had drawn a cottage with a little stream running next to it.
She asked the little girl to draw a picture of the man she’d spoken to.
Keith was drawing a complicated-looking graph.
I’ve never been able to draw very well.
draw somebody something
Can you draw me a map of how to get there?
2 . draw (sb’s) attention to make someone notice something
draw (sb’s) attention to
I have been asked to draw your attention to the following points.
A dark house can draw attention to the fact that the house is empty.
draw attention to yourself
He didn’t want to draw attention to himself.
The case drew international attention.
3 . draw a conclusion to decide that a particular fact or principle is true according to the information you have been given
draw a conclusion from
It would be unwise to draw firm conclusions from the results of a single survey.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say reach a conclusion or come to a conclusion .
4 . draw a comparison/parallel/distinction etc to compare two people or things and show how they are similar or different
draw a comparison/parallel/distinction etc between
The author draws a comparison between East and West Germany and the North-South divide in England.
The report draws a distinction between various forms of health care.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say make a comparison or distinction (but NOT make a parallel ).
5 . GET A REACTION [transitive] to get a particular kind of reaction from someone
draw something from somebody
His remarks drew an angry response from Democrats.
draw praise/criticism
The movie drew praise from critics.
6 . ATTRACT [transitive] to attract someone or make them want to do something
draw somebody to something
What first drew you to teaching?
Beth felt strangely drawn to this gentle stranger.
The festival is likely to draw huge crowds.
7 . GET SOMETHING YOU NEED [transitive] to get something that you need or want from someone or something
draw something from something
I drew a lot of comfort from her kind words.
Plants draw nourishment from the soil.
8 . GIVE INFORMATION be drawn [usually in negatives] to give information in reply to questions about something:
She refused to be drawn on the subject.
9 . MOVE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move in a particular direction:
She drew away, but he pulled her close again.
The boat drew alongside us and a man appeared on the deck.
I arrived just as the train was drawing into the station.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use pull rather than draw :
▪
The train was pulling into the station.
10 . draw near/closer to become closer in time or space:
Maria grew anxious as the men drew closer.
Christmas is drawing near.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say get nearer/closer :
▪
Christmas is getting nearer.
11 . draw level to move into a position where you are equal to someone else in a race, game, or competition:
Black drew level with the other runners.
12 . PULL SOMEBODY/SOMETHING [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to move someone or something in a particular direction by pulling them gently
draw somebody/something aside/up/across etc
Bobby drew a chair up to the table.
Hussain drew me aside to whisper in my ear.
draw the curtains/a blind etc (=close them by pulling them gently)
13 . PULL A VEHICLE [transitive] if an animal draws a vehicle, it pulls it along:
a carriage drawn by six horses
an ox-drawn cart
14 . TAKE SOMETHING OUT [transitive] to take something out of a container, pocket etc
draw something out/from something
Ali reached into his pocket and drew out a piece of paper.
draw a gun/sword/weapon etc
Maria drew her gun nervously and peered out into the gloom.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use pull something out or take something out rather than draw something out :
▪
Ali reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.
15 . draw a line (between something) to think or show that one thing is different from another:
Adolescents often use drugs simply to try to draw a line between their own and their parents’ way of life.
16 . draw the line (at something) to allow or accept something up to a particular point, but not beyond it:
I don’t mind doing some gardening but I draw the line at digging.
17 . where do you draw the line? spoken used to say it is impossible to decide at which point an acceptable limit has been reached:
Some say 50 is too old to have a baby, but where do you draw the line?
18 . draw a line under something to say that something is completely finished and you will not think about it again:
I just want to draw a line under the relationship.
19 . draw sb’s eye (to something) if something draws your eye, it makes you notice it:
My eye was drawn to a painting on the wall.
20 . FROM A BANK ( also draw out ) [transitive] to take money from your bank account SYN withdraw :
Hughes had drawn $8,000 in cash from a bank in Toronto.
21 . RECEIVE MONEY [transitive] to receive an amount of money regularly from a government or financial institution:
How long have you been drawing unemployment benefit?
I’ll be drawing my pension before he’ll ever get around to asking me to marry him!
22 . draw a cheque (on something) British English , draw a check (on something) American English to write a cheque for taking money out of a particular bank account
23 . BREATHE [intransitive and transitive] to take air or smoke into your lungs:
She drew a deep breath.
Ruth paused to draw breath, her voice barely hiding her excitement.
He lit his pipe and drew deeply.
24 . draw breath to find time to have a rest when you are busy:
I’ve hardly had a moment to draw breath.
25 . TAKE LIQUID FROM SOMETHING [transitive]
a) to take a liquid from something such as a ↑ barrel or ↑ tap
b) to take water from a ↑ well
26 . FIRE [intransitive] if a fire or ↑ chimney draws, it lets the air flow through to make the fire burn well
27 . CHOOSE [intransitive and transitive] to choose by chance a ticket etc that will win a prize:
The winning ticket will be drawn at the Christmas Party.
28 . draw lots/straws to decide who will do something by taking pieces of paper out of a container or choosing ↑ straw s of hidden lengths:
We drew lots to see who would go first.
29 . draw the short straw used to say that someone has been unlucky because they were chosen to do something that no one else wanted to do:
He drew the short straw and had to drive everyone to the party.
30 . GAME [intransitive and transitive] especially British English to finish without either side winning in a game such as football SYN tie :
They drew 3–3.
draw with
Liverpool drew with Juventus.
31 . be drawn against somebody British English to be chosen by chance to play or compete against someone:
England have been drawn against France in next month’s game.
32 . draw a blank informal to be unsuccessful in finding information or the answer to a problem:
All his investigations have drawn a blank so far.
33 . draw to a halt/stop if a vehicle draws to a halt or stop, it slows down and stops
34 . draw to a close/end to end:
Festival-goers began to drift off as the evening drew to an end.
35 . draw a veil over something to deliberately keep something unpleasant or embarrassing from being known:
I’d rather draw a veil over what happened last night.
36 . draw blood
a) to make someone bleed:
The dog bit her so hard that it drew blood.
b) to make someone angry or embarrass them in an argument, especially a public one:
Barker sought to draw blood by mentioning his rival’s weakness of character.
37 . draw a bow to bend a ↑ bow by pulling back the string in order to shoot an ↑ arrow
38 . SHIP [transitive] technical if a ship draws a particular depth, it needs that depth of water to float in
⇨ be at daggers drawn at ↑ dagger (3)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ draw to make a picture, pattern etc using a pen or pencil:
The children were asked to draw a picture of their families.
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I’m going to art classes to learn how to draw.
▪ sketch /sketʃ/ to draw a picture of something or someone quickly and without a lot of detail:
Roy took a pencil and sketched the bird quickly, before it moved.
▪ illustrate to draw the pictures in a book:
It’s a beautiful book, illustrated by Arthur Rackham.
▪ doodle /ˈduːdl/ to draw shapes or patterns without really thinking about what you are doing:
He was on the phone, doodling on his notepad as he spoke.
▪ scribble to draw shapes or lines without making a definite picture or pattern. Small children do this before they have learned to draw or write:
At the age of two, she loved scribbling with crayons and coloured pencils.
▪ trace to copy a picture by putting a piece of thin paper over it and drawing the lines that you can see through the paper:
First trace the map, and then copy it into your workbooks.
draw back phrasal verb
1 . to move backwards, especially because you are frightened or surprised:
Suddenly, she drew back, startled.
draw back in horror/shock/fear etc
She peeped into the box and drew back in horror.
2 . to decide not to do something, especially because you think it would be bad for you SYN withdraw
draw back from
The government drew back from their extreme standpoint.
draw something ↔ down phrasal verb
to obtain money that it has been agreed that you can borrow, or to use money that has been saved:
He drew down the final $25 million of the loan.
draw in phrasal verb
1 . British English if the days or nights draw in, it starts to get dark earlier in the evening because winter is coming:
In October the nights start drawing in.
2 . draw somebody ↔ in to get someone involved in something:
We should use the demonstration as an opportunity to draw more supporters in.
Despite himself, he found himself being drawn in by the man’s warmth and ease.
3 . draw in your horns British English to spend less money because you have financial problems
draw somebody into something phrasal verb
to make someone become involved in something, especially when they do not want to be involved:
He tried to draw her into conversation.
She found herself drawn into a disagreement between two of her neighbours.
draw something ↔ off phrasal verb
to remove some liquid from a larger supply:
The cold water is heated as it is drawn off.
draw on phrasal verb
1 . draw on/upon something to use information, experience, knowledge etc for a particular purpose:
His work draws heavily on learning theories of the 1980s.
She has 20 years’ teaching experience to draw on.
2 . draw on something to use part of a supply of something such as money:
I drew on my savings to pay for the repairs.
3 . draw on a cigarette/cigar etc to breathe in smoke from a cigarette etc
4 . British English formal if a period of time or an event draws on, it comes closer to its end:
Winter is drawing on.
As the journey drew on, he started to feel tired.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ draw on somebody's experience
The books have drawn on the experience of practising teachers.
▪ draw on somebody's knowledge
Fortunately I was able to draw on my own knowledge of the law.
▪ draw on somebody's resources
The committee has drawn on the resources and skills of several local people.
▪ draw on somebody's ideas
We hope that we will be able to draw on these ideas to develop the work further.
▪ draw on somebody's expertise (=expert knowledge and experience)
Now we can draw on the expertise of some of the most talented network engineers.
draw out phrasal verb
1 . draw something ↔ out to take money from your bank account
2 . draw somebody ↔ out to make someone feel less shy and more willing to talk:
She just needed someone to draw her out and take an interest in her.
3 . draw something ↔ out formal to mention a particular piece of information and explain it clearly and in detail:
There are two major themes to be drawn out in this discussion.
4 . draw something ↔ out to make an event last longer than usual:
The final question drew the meeting out for another hour.
⇨ ↑ drawn-out
5 . British English if the days or nights draw out, it stays light until later in the evening because summer is coming
draw up phrasal verb
1 . draw something ↔ up to prepare a written document, such as a list or contract:
Draw up a list of all the things you want to do.
draw up plans/proposals
He was asked to draw up proposals for reforming the law.
The contract was drawn up last year.
2 . if a vehicle draws up, it arrives somewhere and stops:
A taxi drew up at the gate.
3 . draw up a chair to move a chair closer to someone or something
4 . draw yourself up (to your full height) to stand up very straight because you are angry or determined about something:
He drew himself up and said, ‘This has gone far enough’.
5 . draw your knees up to bring your legs closer to your body:
Ruth sat, knees drawn up under her chin, and waited.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ draw up a plan/scheme
Local authorities have drawn up new plans for waste disposal.
▪ draw up a proposal
The European Communities were drawing up proposals to control the export of chemicals.
▪ draw up a list
They drew up a list of suitable candidates for the job.
▪ draw up guidelines
A committee of teachers has drawn up guidelines for schools on how to deal with difficult students.
▪ draw up a report
Environmental organizations have been involved in drawing up the report.
▪ draw up a contract/agreement
Some people draw up a contract when they get married.
▪ draw up a timetable/schedule
They haven’t yet drawn up a timetable for the elections.
▪ draw up a programme
A small team has drawn up a programme of action.
▪ draw up a constitution (=set of laws and principles that govern a country)
The first Czech constitution was drawn up here in 1920.
▪ draw up a budget (=plan of how to spend the money that is available)
Each year business managers draw up a budget.
II. draw 2 S3 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . the final result of a game or competition in which both teams or players have the same number of points SYN tie :
The match ended in a draw.
2 . an occasion when someone or something is chosen by chance, especially the winning ticket in a ↑ lottery , or the teams who will play against each other in a competition:
England has been selected to play Germany in the draw for the first round of the World Cup.
3 . British English a competition in which people whose names or tickets are chosen by chance win money or prizes:
Congratulations! You have been entered into our £100,000 prize draw!
4 . a performer, place, event etc that a lot of people come to see:
It is hoped that the new art gallery will be a big draw for visitors.
5 . when you breathe in smoke from a cigarette SYN drag :
Maltravers took a long draw on his cigarette.
⇨ the luck of the draw at ↑ luck 1 (18), ⇨ quick on the draw at ↑ quick 1 (9)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ attraction noun [uncountable and countable] a feature or quality that makes people like, want, or feel interested in something:
The excitement is part of the attraction of the job.
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For many mothers, the attraction of childcare in the workplace is the chance to be near their children.
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The idea of living in another country does have a certain attraction.
▪ appeal noun [uncountable and countable] a quality that makes people like something or someone:
Much of Corfu’s appeal lies in its lively night life.
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I don’t understand the appeal of this kind of music.
▪ the lure of something noun [singular] a very attractive quality that makes you want something very much – often used about something that has a bad effect or influence:
It’s hard to resist the lure of credit cards and easy money.
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The lure of urban life is especially powerful for the young.
▪ charm noun [uncountable and countable] a pleasant quality that someone or something has that makes people like them, feel attracted to them, or be influenced by them:
He was physically attractive and possessed considerable personal charm.
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The book captures Savannah’s old Southern charm perfectly.
▪ glamour noun [uncountable] the attractive and exciting quality that is connected with wealth and success:
the glamour of Monte Carlo
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Hollywood glamour
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The world of modelling is famous for its glitz and glamour.
▪ draw noun [singular] something that makes people want to do something or go somewhere:
The money is a big draw for many players.
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The island’s main draw is its wonderful beaches.