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 verb 1 : 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 verb 1 : 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 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 line 1 : 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