Word: draw Part of Speech: verb Etymology: The verb is derived from Middle English dragen, draghen, draue, drauen, drauhen, drawe, drawen, draȝe, draȝen, draȝhenn (“to drag, pull; to draw (out); to attract; to entice, lure; to lead; to make a drawing; to move, travel; etc.”), from Old English dragan (“to drag, draw”), from Proto-West Germanic *dragan (“to carry, haul”), from Proto-Germanic *draganą (“to carry, draw, pull”); further etymology uncertain, often said to be from Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- (“to drag, pull, run”), but possibly from a non-Indo-European substrate root which is also the source of Latin trahō (“to pull, draw; etc.”). Doublet of drag and draught. The noun is derived from Middle English drau, draue (“action of shooting with a bow”), from drauen, drawen (verb). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian drai, dreeg, dreege (“to carry; to wear”), West Frisian drage (“to carry”), Central Franconian draan, drage, droon (“to bear, carry”), Dutch dragen (“to carry; to wear; to transfer”), German tragen (“to bear, carry; to wear; to support”), Low German dregen (“to carry, take”), Luxembourgish droen (“to carry; to hold, support; to wear; to travel; to fruit”), Yiddish טראָגן (trogn, “to carry, to wear; to be pregnant”), Zealandic draege, draoge (“to carry”), Danish drage (“to draw”), Elfdalian drågå (“to drag, draw, pull”), Faroese and Icelandic draga (“to drag, draw, pull”), Gutnish dräga (“to pull”), Norwegian Bokmål dra, drage (“to drag, draw, pull”), Norwegian Nynorsk dra, draga, drage, drågå, dråggå (“to drag, pull; to leave”), Swedish dra, draga (“to draw, pull; to consume; to leave; to run; to steep”), Gothic 𐌳𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽 (dragan, “to carry, draw, pull”); also Old Irish droch (“wheel; circlet”), Latin tragō, trahō (“to drag, pull; to trail; to extract; to plunder; to draw out; to protract; to consider, ponder, weigh”), Greek τρέχω (trécho, “to run; to flee; to flow; to execute”), Russian дро́га (dróga, “rail or perch in a cart”), Armenian դուրգ (durg, “to potter’s wheel”). Pronunciation: /dɹɑ/, /dɹɔ/, [d͡ʒɹɔ], [d͡ʒɹɔɹ], /dɹɔː/ 1. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: formal, often, transitive Example: He drew a sheaf of papers from his bag. Example: Lys shuddered, and I put my arm around her and drew her to me; and thus we sat throughout the hot night. She told me of her abduction and of the fright she had undergone, and together we thanked God that she had come through unharmed, because the great brute had dared not pause along the danger-infested way. 2. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive Example: She settled in the window seat, drawing her leg up beneath her. 3. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive Example: She took a deep breath and drew her corset-strings. 4. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive Example: Seals […] throw their bodies forward, drawing their hinder-parts after them. 5. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive Example: She drew the curtains to let in the sunlight. Example: You should draw the curtains at night for privacy. 6. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive 7. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive 8. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: reflexive, transitive Example: He drew himself to his full height and glowered at the interloper. 9. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: How long her face is drawn! 10. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: archaic, figuratively, transitive 11. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: archaic, figuratively, transitive Example: the huge Offa's dike which he drew from the mouth of Wye to that of Dee 12. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, transitive 13. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, transitive 14. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: archaic, figuratively, transitive 15. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, transitive 16. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: […] the golfer thinks, “Ah! To draw the ball, I must be like the old pros and incorporate hand action through impact, twisting the clubhead to the left.” All you have to do to apply the spin needed to draw the ball left is to create a very small conflict between the clubface aim and the path the clubhead is traveling. 17. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: This ship draws ten feet of water. 18. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: historical, transitive Example: And if any manner of perſon attempted to moue the King to infringe any parte of thys ordynaunce, and that being knowne, for the firſt time, he ſhould be depriued of his goodes and poſſeſſions, and for the ſecond time, to be drawen thorough the Citie, and ſo put to execution as an arrant traytor. 19. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: historical, transitive 20. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive 21. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive 22. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: transitive 23. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: archaic, transitive 24. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: UK, regional, transitive 25. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: obsolete, transitive 26. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: obsolete, transitive 27. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 28. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 29. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 30. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 31. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 32. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 33. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 34. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive 35. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: intransitive 36. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: intransitive 37. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, intransitive 38. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, intransitive 39. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: figuratively, intransitive Example: Greater hulks draw deep. 40. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: archaic, intransitive Example: This horse draws well. 41. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: archaic, intransitive Example: The carriage draws easily. 42. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: archaic, intransitive Example: water[…] will shrink or draw into less room 43. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: intransitive 44. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: Scotland, archaic, figuratively, intransitive 45. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: intransitive, obsolete 46. Senses relating to exerting force or pulling. Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: […] No rogue e'er felt the halter [i.e., the hangman's noose] draw, with a good opinion of the law, and perhaps my own detestation of the law arises from my having frequently broken it. 47. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive Example: From the moment she entered the room, all eyes were drawn to her. Example: His mind was drawn back to the events of the preceding morning. 48. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive Example: A place like the Right Livers' Rest was bound to draw freaks, same as molasses draws flies. Example: The restaurant was packed, and the promenade between the two main courts and the subsidiary courts was thronged with healthy-looking youngish people, drawn to the Mecca of tennis from all parts of the country. 49. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive Example: These following bodies do not draw: smaragd, achates, corneolus, pearl, jaspis, chalcedonius, alabaster, porphyry, coral, marble, touchstone, haematites, or bloodstone […] Example: Keep a watch upon the particular bias which nature has fixed in their minds, that it may not draw too much. 50. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive Example: The president’s comments have drawn strong criticism from right-wing media outlets. 51. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive Example: In a desperately tight opening set, the pace and accuracy of the Serbian's groundstrokes began to draw errors from the usually faultless Nadal and earned him the first break point of the day at 5-4. 52. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive 53. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive 54. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive Example: I drew a deep breath and wiped my brow. Example: Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. […] She put back a truant curl from her forehead where it had sought egress to the world, and looked him full in the face now, drawing a deep breath which caused the round of her bosom to lift the lace at her throat. 55. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive 56. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: archaic, transitive 57. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: transitive 58. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: intransitive 59. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: intransitive 60. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: intransitive Example: The chimney won’t draw properly if it’s clogged up with soot. 61. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: intransitive 62. Senses relating to attracting. Labels: intransitive 63. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: transitive Example: The dough was run through the pasta machine and drawn into a long ribbon. 64. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: transitive 65. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: transitive Example: to draw a mass of metal into wire 66. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: transitive 67. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: obsolete, transitive 68. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: obsolete, transitive 69. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: obsolete, transitive 70. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: intransitive 71. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: intransitive 72. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: intransitive Example: The ship’s sail drew when the wind blew strongly. 73. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: intransitive, obsolete 74. Senses relating to extending or protracting. Labels: intransitive, obsolete 75. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 76. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: Spirits, by distillations, may be drawn out of vegetable juices, which shall flame and fume of themselves. 77. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: The cat scratched her, drawing blood. 78. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 79. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: They drew their swords and fought each other. Example: Matthew Garth woulda let Tom Dunstan drill him insteada drawin’ against him. 80. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 81. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: to draw water from a well using a bucket 82. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 83. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 84. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: historical, transitive 85. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: In private draw your poultry, clean your tripe. 86. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: archaic, transitive 87. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 88. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: The winning lottery numbers were drawn every Tuesday. Example: Provided magistracies were filled by men freely chosen or drawn. 89. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 90. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 91. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 92. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: Go, wash thy face, and draw thy action. 93. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: UK, archaic, regional, transitive 94. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 95. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: At the start of their turn, each player must draw a card. 96. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 97. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: “Gave us a jolly good run. Viewed him across Gamley Heath, drew Meddington Big Wood, and then we lost him. Daddy was livid.” 98. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive Example: I drew my last game against him. Example: The game is won when a player places any of his pieces on the same square with his opponent's Princess, or when a Chief takes a Chief. It is drawn when a Chief is taken by any opposing piece other than the opposing Chief;[…] 99. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: transitive 100. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: historical, transitive 101. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: Northern, Scotland, transitive 102. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: obsolete, transitive 103. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: obsolete, rare, transitive 104. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: obsolete, transitive 105. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: obsolete, transitive 106. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Example: The circuit draws three hundred watts. 107. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Example: He drew comfort from the thought that he was not the first to suffer this way. Example: She draws her subject matter from the events of her own life. 108. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Example: I had thought, sir, to have held my peace until / You have drawn oaths from him not to stay. 109. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Example: He tried to draw a conclusion from the facts. Example: We do not draw the moral lessons we might from history. 110. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Example: to draw money from a bank 111. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Example: He refused to be drawn on the subject 112. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive 113. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive Example: The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. 114. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive 115. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive Example: Tea is much nicer if you let it draw for more than two minutes before pouring. Example: "There's your tay set for you an' drawin' nicely this minute, Miss Ethel," called old Bridget from the hall. 116. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive 117. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive 118. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive 119. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: archaic, intransitive 120. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive Example: Jill has four diamonds; she’ll try to draw for a flush. 121. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive 122. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive Example: We drew the last time we played. 123. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive, obsolete 124. Senses relating to extracting or selecting. Labels: intransitive, obsolete 125. Senses relating to moving or travelling. Labels: archaic, reflexive Example: She thought she heard a noise in her chamber, and she drew herself within the casement. 126. Senses relating to moving or travelling. Labels: intransitive Example: The runners drew level with each other as they approached the finish line. Example: Draw near to the fire and I will tell you a tale. 127. Senses relating to moving or travelling. Example: As it drew towards evening, I packed up and headed for home. Example: As the war drew to its end, it became evident that repairs and rebuilding in the heavily blitzed Greater London area would be so extensive as to afford opportunity for effective large-scale planning. 128. Senses relating to moving or travelling. Labels: archaic Example: On one of my expeditions, after a stormy night, at the end of March, the hounds drew all day without finding a fox. 129. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: transitive Example: He had drawn a mural on the wall of his apartment. Example: A flattering painter, vvho made it his care / To dravv men as they ought to be, not as they are. 130. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: transitive 131. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: transitive 132. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: transitive 133. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: transitive Example: to draw a memorial, a deed, or bill of exchange Example: Clerk, draw a deed of gift. 134. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: Her first novel contained a host of characters who were richly and convincingly drawn. 135. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: transitive 136. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: obsolete, transitive 137. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: obsolete, transitive 138. Senses relating to depicting or representing. Labels: intransitive Example: When I came in she was drawing on a big piece of coloured paper.