dra:ft n. & v. (US draft) --n. 1 a
current of
air in a confined
space (e.g. a
room or chimney). 2 pulling,
traction. 3 Naut.
the depth of
water needed to
float a
ship. 4 the
drawing of
liquor from a
cask etc. 5 a a
single act of drinking. b the
amount drunk in
this. c a
dose of
liquid medicine. 6 (in
pl.; usu. treated as sing.)
Brit. a game
for two played
with 12 pieces
each on a
draughtboard. 7 a the drawing in of a fishing-net. b the fish taken at
one drawing. 8 =
DRAFT. --v.tr. = DRAFT. ødraught
beer beer
drawn from a cask,
not bottled. draught-horse a
horse used for pulling
heavy loads,
esp. a
cart or
plough.
feel the draught colloq.
suffer from
adverse (usu. financial) conditions. [ME draht, perh. f. ON drahtr, drÁttr f. Gmc, rel. to DRAW]