drɔ: v. & n. --v. (past
drew;
past part. drawn) 1 tr.
pull or
cause to
move towards or
after one. 2 tr. pull (a thing)
up,
over, or
across. 3 tr. pull (curtains etc.)
open or
shut. 4 tr.
take (a person)
aside,
esp. to
talk to. 5 tr.
attract;
bring to
oneself or to
something; take in (drew a
deep breath; I felt
drawn to
her; drew my
attention to
the matter; draw
him into conversation; the match drew
large crowds). 6 intr. (foll. by
at, on)
suck smoke from (a
cigarette,
pipe, etc.). 7 tr. (also absol.) take
out;
remove (e.g. a
tooth, a
gun from a
holster, etc.). 8 tr.
obtain or take from a
source (draw a
salary; draw
inspiration; drew ø100 from my account). 9 tr. trace (a line, mark,
furrow, or figure). 10 a tr.
produce (a picture) by
tracing lines
and marks. b tr.
represent (a thing) by
this means. c absol.
make a
drawing. 11 tr. (also absol.)
finish (a
contest or game)
with neither side winning. 12 intr. make one's or
its way,
proceed, move,
come (drew
near the bridge; draw to a close; the second
horse drew
level; drew
ahead of the
field; the
time draws near). 13 tr.
infer,
deduce (a conclusion). 14 tr. a
elicit,
evoke. b bring
about,
entail (draw
criticism; draw
ruin upon oneself). c
induce (a person) to reveal facts, feelings, or
talent (refused to be drawn). d (foll. by to + infin.) induce (a person) to do something. e Cards cause to be played (drew
all the trumps). 15 tr.
haul up (water) from a well. 16 tr. bring out (liquid from a
vessel or
blood from a wound). 17 tr.
extract a
liquid essence from. 18 intr. (of a
chimney or pipe)
promote or
allow a
draught. 19 intr. (of tea)
infuse. 20 a tr. obtain by
lot (drew the winner). b absol. draw lots. 21 intr. (foll. by on) make a
demand on a
person, a person's
skill,
memory,
imagination, etc. 22 tr.
write out (a bill,
cheque, or draft) (drew a cheque on the bank). 23 tr.
frame (a document) in
due form,
compose. 24 tr.
formulate or
perceive (a
comparison or distinction). 25 tr. (of a ship)
require (a specified
depth of water) to
float in. 26 tr.
disembowel (hang, draw, and
quarter; draw the
fowl before cooking it). 27 tr.
Hunting search (cover)
for game. 28 tr.
drag (a
badger or fox) from a
hole. 29 tr. a
protract,
stretch,
elongate (long-drawn agony). b make (wire) by pulling a
piece of
metal through successively smaller holes. 30 tr. a
Golf drive (the ball) to the left (or, of a
left-handed player, the right) esp.
purposely. b Bowls cause (a bowl) to
travel in a
curve to the desired
point. 31 intr. (of a sail)
swell tightly in the wind. --n. 1 an
act of drawing. 2 a a person or
thing that draws
custom, attention, etc. b the
power to attract attention. 3 the drawing of lots, esp. a raffle. 4 a drawn game. 5 a suck on a cigarette etc. 6 the act of removing a gun from its holster in
order to
shoot (quick on the draw). 7 strain, pull. 8 US the
movable part of a
drawbridge. ødraw
back withdraw from an
undertaking. draw a
bead on see BEAD. draw bit = draw
rein. draw a
blank see BLANK. draw
bridle = draw rein. draw a person's
fire attract
hostility, criticism,
etc.,
away from a
more important target. draw in 1 a (of
successive days)
become shorter
because of the changing seasons. b (of a day)
approach its
end. c (of successive evenings or nights)
start earlier because of the changing seasons. 2
persuade to
join,
entice. 3 (of a
train etc.)
arrive at a
station. draw in one's horns become
less assertive or
ambitious; draw back. draw the line at set a
limit (of
tolerance etc.) at. draw lots see LOT. draw
off withdraw (troops). draw on 1 approach, come near. 2 lead to, bring about. 3
allure. 4 put (gloves,
boots, etc.)
on. draw out 1
prolong. 2 elicit. 3 induce to talk. 4 (of successive days) become longer because of the changing seasons. 5 (of a train etc.) leave a station etc. 6 write out in
proper form. 7 lead out,
detach, or
array (troops). draw rein see REIN. draw-sheet a sheet that can be taken from
under a
patient without remaking the
bed. draw-string a
string that can be pulled to
tighten the
mouth of a
bag, the
waist of a
garment, etc. draw stumps Cricket take the stumps out of the ground at the close of
play. draw one's
sword against attack. draw up 1 compose or
draft (a
document etc.). 2 bring or come into
regular order. 3 come to a halt. 4 make (oneself) stiffly
erect. 5 (foll. by with, to)
gain on or
overtake. draw-well a deep well with a
rope and a
bucket.
quick on the draw quick to act or
react. [OE dragan f. Gmc]