draw

[[t]drɔ͟ː[/t]]

♦

draws, drawing, drew, drawn

1) VERB When you draw, or when you draw something, you use a pencil or pen to produce a picture, pattern, or diagram.

She would sit there drawing with the pencil stub...

[V n] Draw a rough design for a logo...

[V n] He starts a painting by quickly drawing simplified shapes.

Syn:

sketch

Derived words:

drawing N-UNCOUNT

I like dancing, singing and drawing.

2) VERB When a vehicle draws somewhere, it moves there smoothly and steadily.

[V adv/prep] Claire had seen the taxi drawing away...

[V adv/prep] A carriage door struck him as a train drew into Basildon station.

3) VERB If you draw somewhere, you move there slowly. [WRITTEN]

[V adv/prep] She drew away and did not smile...

[V adj] When we drew level, he neither slowed down nor accelerated.

4) VERB If you draw something or someone in a particular direction, you move them in that direction, usually by pulling them gently. [WRITTEN]

[V n prep] He drew his chair nearer the fire...

[V n adj] He put his arm around Caroline's shoulders and drew her close to him...

[V n with adv] Wilson drew me aside after an interview.

Syn:

pull

5) VERB When you draw a curtain or blind, you pull it across a window, either to cover or to uncover it.

[V n] After drawing the curtains, she lit a candle...

[V-ed] Mother was lying on her bed, with the blinds drawn.

6) VERB If someone draws a gun, knife, or other weapon, they pull it out of its container and threaten you with it.

[V n] He drew his dagger and turned to face his pursuers.

Syn:

take out

7) VERB If an animal or vehicle draws something such as a cart, carriage, or another vehicle, it pulls it along.

[V n] ...a slow-moving tractor, drawing a trailer.

[V-ed] ...a chariot drawn by six black mules.

8) VERB If you draw a deep breath, you breathe in deeply once.

[V n] He paused, drawing a deep breath.

9) VERB If you draw on a cigarette, you breathe the smoke from it into your mouth or lungs.

[V on n] He drew on an American cigarette...

[V n into n] Her cheeks hollowed as she drew smoke into her lungs. [Also V n with in]

10) VERB To draw something such as water or energy from a particular source means to take it from that source.

[V n from n] Villagers still have to draw their water from wells.

11) VERB If something that hits you or presses part of your body draws blood, it cuts your skin so that it bleeds.

[V n] Any practice that draws blood could increase the risk of getting the virus.

12) VERB If you draw money out of a bank, building society, or savings account, you get it from the account so that you can use it.

[V n with out] She was drawing out cash from a cash machine...

[V n from n] Companies could not draw money from bank accounts as cash. [Also V n]

13) VERB If you draw a salary or a sum of money, you receive a sum of money regularly.

[V n] For the first few years I didn't draw any salary at all...

[V n] He is moving ever closer to drawing his pension.

14) VERB To draw something means to choose it or to be given it, as part of a competition, game, or lottery.

[V n] We delved through a sackful of letters to draw the winning name...

[V n] Aston Villa have drawn a Czech team in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

N-COUNT

Draw is also a noun.

...the draw for the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup.

15) N-COUNT A draw is a competition where people pay money for numbered or named tickets, then some of those tickets are chosen, and the owners are given prizes.

16) VERB To draw something from a particular thing or place means to take or get it from that thing or place.

[V n from n] I draw strength from the millions of women who have faced this challenge successfully...

[V n from n] The students are drawn from a cross-section of backgrounds.

17) VERB If you draw a particular conclusion, you decide that that conclusion is true.

[V n from n] He draws two conclusions from this...

[V n] He says he cannot yet draw any conclusions about the murders.

18) VERB If you draw a comparison, parallel, or distinction, you compare or contrast two different ideas, systems, or other things.

[V n] ...literary critics drawing comparisons between George Sand and George Eliot...

[V n] Interesting distinctions can be drawn between the two populations. [Also V n with n]

19) VERB If you draw someone's attention to something, you make them aware of it or make them think about it.

[V n] He was waving his arms to draw their attention...

[V n to n] He just wants to draw attention to the plight of the unemployed.

20) VERB If someone or something draws a particular reaction, people react to it in that way.

[V n from n] Such a policy would inevitably draw fierce resistance from farmers.

[V n] ...an official tour to South Africa which drew angry political reactions.

21) VERB If something such as a film or an event draws a lot of people, it is so interesting or entertaining that a lot of people go to it.

[V n] The game is currently drawing huge crowds.

22) VERB If someone or something draws you, it attracts you very strongly.

[V n] In no sense did he draw and enthral her as Alex had done...

[V n to n] What drew him to the area was its proximity to central London.

23) VERB: with brd-neg, usu passive If someone will not be drawn or refuses to be drawn, they will not reply to questions in the way that you want them to, or will not reveal information or their opinion. [mainly BRIT]

[be V-ed on n] The ambassador would not be drawn on questions of a political nature...

[be V-ed] `Did he say why?' - `No, he refuses to be drawn.'

24) V-RECIP In a game or competition, if one person or team draws with another one, or if two people or teams draw, they have the same number of points or goals at the end of the game. [mainly BRIT]

[pl-n V num] Holland and the Republic of Ireland drew one-one...

[V with/against n] We drew with Ireland in the first game...

[V n (non-recip)] Egypt drew two of their matches in Italy. [Also pl-n V, V (non-recip)]

Syn:

tie

N-COUNT

Draw is also a noun.

We were happy to come away with a draw against Sweden.

(in AM, usually use tie)

25) → See also drawing

26) PHRASE: V inflects When an event or period of time draws to a close or draws to an end, it finishes. [FORMAL]

Another celebration had drawn to its close.

27) PHRASE: V inflects If an event or period of time is drawing closer or is drawing nearer, it is approaching.

And all the time next spring's elections are drawing closer...

As the day set for departure drew near, I told my wife that I could not accompany them.

28) to draw a blank → see blank

to draw breath → see breath

to draw someone's fire → see fire

to draw the line → see line

to draw lots → see lot

the luck of the draw → see luck

Phrasal Verbs:

- draw in

- draw into

- draw off

- draw on

- draw out

- draw up

- draw upon