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 string 10: to cause to shrink, contract, or tighten 11 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 results 12: to leave (a contest) undecided :tie 13 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 :shrinkb: to change shape by pulling or stretching 6: to cause blood or pus to localize at one point 7: to create a likeness or a picture in outlines :sketch 8: to come out even in a contest 9 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 line1: to fix an arbitrary boundary between things that tend to intermingle 2: to fix a boundary excluding what one will not tolerate or engage in
