I. ˈdrȯ verb
( drew ˈdrü ; also archaic or nonstandard drawed ˈdrȯd ; drawn ˈdrȯn ; drawing ˈdrȯiŋ ; draws )
Etymology: Middle English dragen, drawen, from Old English dragan to pull, draw, drag; akin to Old High German tragan to carry, Old Norse draga to pull, draw, Gothic ga dragan to accumulate, Russian doroga way, trip and perhaps to Latin trahere to pull, draw, drag
transitive verb
1. : to cause to move toward or after a compelling force, forward or in another indicated or implied direction, or toward a surface : pull , drag
the horse drew us along at a smart pace
we drew up our nets full of fishes
using a poultice to draw inflammation to a head
as
a. : to haul (as a load) usually in a cart or wagon
he drew over 100 cords of wood that winter
b. : to drag (a criminal) to the place of execution (as at a horse's tail or on a hurdle)
c. : to cause (as a sail or drawbridge) to be raised
d. : to pull (as a curtain) over so as to cover or conceal or aside so as to uncover or reveal
drew the bedcovers over her
draw the blinds and light the lamps
e. : to bring out or cause to come out (as from a setting or receptacle)
draw the cork gently and decant the wine
the dentist drew the abscessed tooth
the blow drew blood
draw me a glass of ale
f. : to remove (a weapon) from a sheath
now draw your swords and fall to it
g. : to promote suppuration in (as a wound) ; broadly : to cause (an unwanted element) to depart (as from the body or a lesion)
this will help draw the poison
h. : to cause (a bow) to bend ; also : to pull back (an arrow) on the bowstring
i. : to pull off (as a tablecloth after a meal) ; also : to remove a tablecloth from (a table)
j. : to remove (as coals) from a grate
the furnaces are drawn during a strike
also : to remove a fire from (a grate)
k. : to pull (warp threads) through the heddles in proper order to produce a desired pattern in weaving — often used with in
drawing warps in by hand
l. : to cause (the ball or other mobile piece used in certain sports) to move in a particular direction or toward a particular objective usually by applying a specialized stroke or imparting a specialized movement (as of spinning) — used in golf, billiards, bowls, cricket, and curling
m. : to remove (seedlings) from a plant bed preparatory to transplanting
2.
a. : to cause (as a person) to move, proceed, or act (as by leading, conducting, or diverting)
drawing his cousin to one side
tried to draw her thoughts from her troubles
b. : attract
the accident drew a great crowd
like iron filings drawn by a magnet
: entice , allure
drawing him with an unspoken promise in her eyes
c. : to influence toward or away from a particular course (as of action)
kindness and understanding will often draw a boy to unburden his conscience
often : to influence to do something undesirable : seduce
he was drawn from his family and religion by selfish interests
don't let me draw you away from your work
d. : to force (a hunted animal) from cover
using dogs to draw the game
e. : to rouse (as a person) to action or response
the final taunt drew him
her insolence drew him to say things he knew he would regret
f. : to force the playing of (a particular card or suit) in a card game
lead the king to draw her opponent's ace
won with the queen and then drew three rounds of spades
3. : take , gain ; as
a. : to take (breath) into the lungs
she drew a deep breath of clean pine-scented air
b. : to require (a specified depth) of a supporting medium in which to float
a ship that draws 12 feet of water
c.
(1) : to take or accept at random (one from a number of things) especially in order to decide something by chance
let's draw straws to see who gets dinner
(2) : to receive (as a prize) from a lottery
he drew one of the favored horses in the sweepstakes and sold his ticket profitably long before the race was run
(3) : to obtain by luck or chance : gain by fortune : win
a man who seemed to draw money
(4) : to select by the drawing of lots
the jury panel was drawn
(5) : to take or accept (a card) in a card game according to some arbitrary or randomizing system and usually after an initial deal (as to improve a poker hand)
(6) : to similarly take or accept (a piece) in various games
d. : to acquire in the course of events
he drew the hardest job of all
e. : to separate (as sheep for fattening) from a larger group or number : select (as specimens) for a test or experiment
f. : to gain as a recompense or one's due (as for services, use of property, or misconduct)
he draws a good salary every week
the speech drew a round of applause
let your extra money stay in the bank and draw interest
if he keeps on chasing married women he's likely to draw a punch in the jaw
draw rations for three days
g. : extract , elicit , derive
you'll never draw a compliment from her
h. : to infer from evidence or reasons : deduce from premises
let the future draw lessons from the past
draw your own conclusions from what you have seen
i. : to take (as money) from a place of deposit
drew several hundred dollars from the bank
4. : to alter especially in form or content: as
a. : to tear to pieces
condemned to be drawn asunder by wild horses
b. : contract , pucker , wrinkle
persimmons draw the mouth unless thoroughly ripened
her face drawn with pain
also : to cause to swell
rubber soles draw my feet
c.
(1) : to extend in length or lengthwise : protract , stretch
drew out her call interminably
a rubber band drawn to its greatest length
(2) obsolete : to build or cause to extend (as a ditch or wall) lengthwise from one place to another
(3) : to cause (a plant) to become spindly and etiolated (as from lack of light) — used chiefly as a participial adjective
d. : to shave (stonework) to shape
e.
(1) : to stretch, spread, or shape (metal) by passing through dies or by stamping successively (as with a series of dies or by hammering) ; specifically : to make a metal rod into (wire) by pulling it through a series of holes of diminishing size thus decreasing the sectional area and increasing the length at each stage
(2) : to shape by stretching (as plastic) or by drawing (as plastic filaments) through dies
(3) : to shape (as a shingle) or smooth (as a spoke) with a drawknife or comparable tool
(4) : to shape (glass) by guiding molten glass from the furnace over a series of automatic rollers
f. : temper vt 4a(1)
g. : to attenuate (textile slivers or rovings) by passing successively through rollers each pair of which revolves slightly faster than its predecessor thereby causing the fibers to be straightened
h. of honeybees : to build up (foundation) into comb — often used with out
i. : to make (candles) by passing a length of wick repeatedly through molten wax and successively larger circular holes
5.
a.
(1) : to produce by or as if by tracing a pen or other instrument of delineation over a surface
draw a line
drawing pictures in the sand
(2) : to represent by lines drawn : make a picture of in this manner
he draws the scene from memory
b. : to represent by words:
(1) : to write in due form : prepare a draft of : indite
drew a memorial to the queen
draw a check for the whole amount
(2) : to express graphically in words : delineate
drawing acid pen-portraits of her neighbors
the novelist drew his characters precisely and believably
c. : to set forth in due and proper form or formally : formulate
it is often necessary to draw fine destinctions
have a lawyer draw up your will if your plans are at all complicated
6. : to remove the contents of: as
a. : to remove the viscera of : eviscerate
fowls come to market plucked and drawn
b. : to extract or drain the essence of
that final climb seemed to draw his strength away
some people draw their tea too long
c. : to force or draw something from (as a place of security) : drive game out of (as a covert)
they drew the open fields with beaters, the rugged hills with dogs
: fish by dragging a net through (as a pond)
they drew the river above the weir
d. : to remove (as fired brick) from a kiln
7. : to bring (an existing relation or situation) to an end: as
a. archaic : to withdraw (as a horse) from a race
b. : to finish (a contest) in a draw : bring (as a game) to a conclusion without having established the superiority (as in skill or scoring) of any contestant
intransitive verb
1. : to come or go : move : draw oneself — now used only with prepositions and adverbs of direction
he drew away from the smoldering wall
night draws near
as we drew toward the town
2. obsolete : to approach or tend especially to a particular state
3. : to perform the act of drawing something: as
a. : move something by pulling
drew continuously without emptying the well
there's nothing like a team of oxen for drawing in really rugged country
b. : to exert an attractive force : act as an inducement or enticement
the play is still drawing well
c. : to pull back the string of a bow preparatory to releasing the arrow
d. : to perform the act or practice the art of delineation : form figures or pictures by tracing lines ; often : sketch
e. : to make a written demand for payment of money deposited or due ; often : to make demands (as on a person or a resource) — usually used with on or upon
he drew on his savings account for a down payment
draw on me for any help you need
drawing on his last reserve of energy
f. : to search for game ; often : to track game by the scent — used chiefly of a sporting dog
g.
(1) : to cause local congestion : induce blood or other body fluid to localize at a particular point : be effective as a blistering agent or counterirritant — used as a poultice and comparable means of medication
(2) of a lesion : to become localized — used in the phrase draw to a head
h. : to leave a game or contest undecided : end a contest in a draw
our team drew three times this year
i. : to draw one or more cards in a card game
4. : to sink in water : require a depth for floating
greater hulks draw deep — Shakespeare
5. : to alter in form or content: as
a. : to change shape by or as if by pulling : stretch , wrinkle , contract
she shivered and her skin seemed to draw with the cold
the spring drew longer and longer with the strain
b. of a sail : to swell out with the wind
c. : steep , infuse
the tea may draw a bit longer
d. of curing tobacco : to become uniformly moist — used of the hand of leaves after petuning
6.
a. : to become subjected to drawing or suitable for being drawn
the new cart draws easily
b. of a liquid : to drain away
c. : rise
d. : to produce a draft whereby a current (as of hot gases) is drawn
the chimney draws well since it was cleaned
sometimes : to pass in a current
breezes drew through the room
e. : to pull a pattern from a mold in an indicated manner (as hard, easily, cleanly)
7. : to obtain information, supplies, or other matters
drawing from a common fund of knowledge
drew heavily on their supply of food
8. : to perform a draw in dancing
Synonyms: see pull
•
- draw a bead on
- draw a blank
- draw a line
- draw a longbow
- draw blood
- draw in one's horns
- draw it fine
- draw it mild
- draw lots
- draw on
- draw one's time
- draw rein
- draw straws
- draw the fangs
- draw the temper
- draw together
II. noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
1. : an act or process of drawing (as of metals, loads, lots, or a bow) : pull: as
a. : one complete outward and inward run of a mule carriage in spinning
b. : drawing-in
c. : a sucking pull on something (as a sipping straw or cigarette) held with the lips
took a long draw on his pipe before answering
sometimes : a drawing (as of vapor or liquid) into the system
d.
(1) : the removing of a revolver or automatic pistol from its holster
a cross draw with the left hand
especially : near simultaneous drawing of such weapons by individuals proposing to shoot at one another — used with the
the sheriff was quicker on the draw
(2) : advantage especially when gained by superior alertness or skill : edge — usually used with the
the senator's experience gives him the draw on his opponents
e. : a stroke or play in certain games or sports involving drawing (as of a ball)
f. : a competition in which the pulling ability of draft animals is tested under standardized conditions
the ox draws at New England fairs
g. or draw step : a dance step in which one foot is drawn on the floor to meet the other
2. : something that draws or serves as a means of drawing: as
a.
[by shortening]
dialect : drawer 2
b. archaic : something designed to draw out, entrap, or mislead
c.
(1) also drawspan : the moveable part of a drawbridge
(2) : the opening through it
d. : a stroke or blow given in drawing metal
e. : a natural drainageway or gully generally shallower or more open than a ravine or gorge : a dry stream bed : coulee 1a
a small stream that cuts through a large draw in which deer like to winter — Robert Crichton
f. : the angle given to the locking faces of the pallets in a lever-escapement watch that when acted upon by the force of the escape-wheel teeth draws the lever to the banking pins and ensures freedom of the roller
g. : an influence that draws attention or a crowd
a dogfight has a powerful draw for small boys
: attraction ; often : a theatrical event or personality that draws patronage
h. : the weaving pattern formed by drawing-in
3. : the product or state of drawing or of being drawn: as
a. : a lot or chance drawn
b. : a contest that ends without a clear-cut victory for either side
the battle was a draw
(1) : a sporting event (as a boxing or wrestling match) in which each contestant receives equal scores : tie
(2) : a sporting event or game in which there is no winner because some impasse precludes carrying the contest to a decisive end (as in a cricket match with the batting team behind and time expiring before the innings is complete)
c. : the essence or strength of tea
d. : a young shoot or sprout ; specifically : one of the young spring shoots of the sweet potato
e. : angle , taper , draft ; specifically : the taper of a leaf spring
f. : the distance from the string to the back of a drawn bow ; often : the force required to draw a bow fully
a bow with a 50-pound draw
g. : a list of contestants in a sports event arranged in an order obtained by drawing lots
4. : something that is or can be drawn: as
a. : drawer pull
b.
(1) : a card or piece drawn in certain games (as for replacement of one expended) ; also : the deal in draw poker to improve the hands after players have discarded
(2) : draw poker
c. : the distance that a camera bellows may be extended
d. : a number, allocation, or amount (as of money or goods) that is available at regular or particular intervals:
(1) : drawing account 2
(2) : the part of a seaman's pay that he has a right to draw while in port in the course of a voyage
(3) : the number of each issue of a periodical (as a magazine or newspaper) regularly consigned to a particular vendor