Main Entry:

¹draw

Pronunciation:

\ˈdrȯ\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

drew \ˈdrü\ ; drawn \ˈdrȯn, ˈdrän\ ; draw·ing

Etymology:

Middle English drawen, dragen, from Old English dragan; akin to Old Norse draga to draw, drag

Date:

before 12th century

transitive verb1: to cause to move continuously toward or after a force applied in advance : pull <draw your chair up by the fire>: as a: to move (as a covering) over or to one side <draw the drapes> b: to pull up or out of a receptacle or place where seated or carried <draw water from the well> <drew a gun> ; also : to cause to come out of a container or source <draw water for a bath> <the nurse drew a blood sample> <the wound drew blood>2: to cause to go in a certain direction (as by leading) <drew him aside>3 a: to bring by inducement or allure : attract <honey draws flies> b: to bring in or gather from a specified group or area <a college that draws its students from many states> c: bring on, provoke <drew enemy fire> d: to bring out by way of response : elicit <drew cheers from the audience> e: to receive in the course of play <the batter drew a walk> <draw a foul>4: inhale <drew a deep breath>5 a: to extract the essence from <draw tea> b: eviscerate <plucking and drawing a goose before cooking> c: to derive to one's benefit <drew inspiration from the old masters>6: to require (a specified depth) to float in <a ship that draws 12 feet of water>7 a: accumulate, gain <drawing interest> b: to take (money) from a place of deposit c: to use in making a cash demand <drawing a check against his account> d: to receive regularly or in due course <draw a salary>8 a: to take (cards) from a stack or from the dealer b: to receive or take at random <drew a winning number>9: to bend (a bow) by pulling back the string10: to cause to shrink, contract, or tighten11 a: to strike (a ball) so as to impart a backward spin b: to strike (a golf ball) so that a slight to moderate hook results12: to leave (a contest) undecided : tie13 a (1): to produce a likeness or representation of by making lines on a surface <draw a picture> <draw a graph with chalk> (2): to give a portrayal of : delineate <a writer who draws characters well> b: to write out in due form <draw a will> c: to design or describe in detail : formulate <draw comparisons>14: to infer from evidence or premises <draw a conclusion>15: to spread or elongate (metal) by hammering or by pulling through dies ; also : to shape (as plastic) by stretching or by pulling through diesintransitive verb1: to come or go steadily or gradually <night draws near>2 a: to move something by pulling <drawing at the well> b: to exert an attractive force <the play is drawing well>3 a: to pull back a bowstring b: to bring out a weapon <drew, aimed, and fired>4 a: to produce a draft <the chimney draws well> <draw on a cigar> b: to swell out in a wind <all sails drawing>5 a: to wrinkle or tighten up : shrink b: to change shape by pulling or stretching6: to cause blood or pus to localize at one point7: to create a likeness or a picture in outlines : sketch8: to come out even in a contest9 a: to make a written demand for payment of money on deposit b: to obtain resources (as of information) <drawing from a common fund of knowledge>

— draw·able \-ə-bəl\ adjective

— draw a bead on

: to take aim at

— draw a blank

: to fail to gain a desired object (as information sought) ; also : to be unable to think of something

— draw on or draw upon

: to use as a source of supply <drawing on the whole community for support>

— draw straws

: to decide or assign something by lottery in which straws of unequal length are used

— draw the line or draw a line

1: to fix an arbitrary boundary between things that tend to intermingle2: to fix a boundary excluding what one will not tolerate or engage in