/ drɑːft; NAmE / ( BrE ) ( NAmE draft / dræft; NAmE /) noun , adjective , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a flow of cool air in a room or other confined space :
There's a draught in here.
A cold draught of air blew in from the open window.
I was sitting in a draught .
2.
[ C ] ( formal ) one continuous action of swallowing liquid; the amount swallowed :
He took a deep draught of his beer.
3.
[ C ] ( old use or literary ) medicine in a liquid form :
a sleeping draught (= one that makes you sleep)
4.
draughts ( BrE ) ( NAmE check·ers ) [ U ] a game for two players using 24 round pieces on a board marked with black and white squares
5.
[ C ] ( BrE ) ( NAmE check·er ) one of the round pieces used in a game of draughts
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IDIOMS
- on draught
■ adjective
1.
[ usually before noun ] served from a large container (= a barrel ) rather than in a bottle :
draught beer
2.
[ only before noun ] used for pulling heavy loads :
a draught horse
■ verb
[ vn ] ( especially BrE ) = draft
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense drawing, pulling ; also something drawn, a load ): from Old Norse dráttr , of Germanic origin; related to German Tracht , also to draw . Compare with draft .