Word: withdraw Part of Speech: verb Etymology: PIE word *wí From Middle English withdrawen, withdrauen (“to depart, leave, move away; (reflexive) to go away; (reflexive) to leave someone’s service; (often reflexive) to draw back or retreat (from a battlefield or dangerous place), withdraw; to abandon, desert; to go, go forth; to move; of the sea, water, etc.: to (cause to) ebb, recede, subside; to disappear; to slacken, wane; (often reflexive) to cease, stop; to desist, refrain; (reflexive) to go back on, recant; to avoid, eschew; to bring under control, contain, suppress; to curb, curtail; to delay, put off; to demur, refuse; to carry or take away, deprive of, remove; to contract, draw away or in, retract; to deny, refuse; to revoke; to withhold; to divert; to separate; to adopt, borrow, imitate”) [and other forms], from with- (prefix meaning ‘away; back’) + drawen, drauen (“to drag, pull, tow, tug, draw [and other senses]”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- (“to drag, pull; to run”)); see further at with- and draw. The English word is analysable as with- + draw. Pronunciation: /wɪðˈdɹɔː/, /wɪθˈdɹɔː/, /wɪðˈdɹɔ/, /wɪθˈdɹɔ/, /wɪðˈdɹɑ/ 1. To draw or pull (something) away or back from its original position or situation. Labels: transitive Example: VVhy vvithdravveſt thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy boſome. Example: Hovv counterfeit a coin they are vvho friends / Bear in their Superſcription (of the moſt / I vvould be underſtood) in proſperous days / They ſvvarm, but in adverſe vvithdravv their head / Not to be found, though ſought. 2. To draw or pull (something) away or back from its original position or situation. Labels: transitive Example: Thou neuer vvithdrevvſt thy ſelfe and vvert ſolitarie, but my Spyrite vvas reproouing and diſputing vvith thee. Example: VVithdravve your ſelues, and leaue vs here alone. 3. To draw or pull (something) away or back from its original position or situation. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: [S]he was in no mood for sleep; so, putting her light upon the table and withdrawing the little window curtain, she gazed out pensively at the wild night sky. Example: Scrooge glanced towards the Phantom. Its steady hand was pointed to the head. The cover was so carelessly adjusted that the slightest raising of it, the motion of a finger upon Scrooge's part, would have disclosed the face. He thought of it, felt how easy it would be to do, and longed to do it; but had no more power to withdraw the veil than to dismiss the spectre at his side. 4. To take away or take back (something previously given or permitted); to remove, to retract. Labels: transitive Example: I wyl be his father, and he ſhal be my ſonne. And I wyl not withdrawe my mercy from him, as I haue withdrawen it frõ him that was before the[e]: […] Example: Hee that vvithdravveth the corne, the people vvill curſe him: but bleſſing ſhall bee on the head of him that ſelleth corne. 5. To cause or help (someone) to stop taking an addictive drug or substance; to dry out. Labels: transitive 6. To take (one's eyes) off something; to look away. Labels: transitive Example: The lady looked up; her eyes met those of Mr. Watkins Tottle. She withdrew them in a sweet confusion, and Watkins Tottle did the same—the confusion was mutual. Example: With this agreeable speech Monks turned short upon the matron, and bent his fierce gaze upon her, till even she, who was not easily cowed, was fain to withdraw her eyes, and turn them towards the ground. 7. To disregard (something) as belonging to a certain group. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: One [poem] by Hercules Rollock on the marriage of Anne of Denmark is better, and equal, a few names withdrawn, to any of the contemporaneous poetry of France. 8. To remove (a topic) from discussion or inquiry. Labels: figuratively, transitive 9. To stop (a course of action, proceedings, etc.) Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: The question was put that "The Endeavour" be hired for the occasion; Mr. Alexander Briggs moved as an amendment, that the word "Fly" be substituted for the word "Endeavour;" but after some debate consented to withdraw his opposition. 10. To take back (a comment, something written, etc.); to recant, to retract. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: to withdraw false charges Example: Mr. Blotton would only say then, that he repelled the hon. gen's false and scurrilous accusation, with profound contempt. (Great cheering.) The hon. gent. was a humbug. […] The Chairman was quite sure the hon. Pickwickian would withdraw the expression he had just made use of. / Mr. Blotton, with all possible respect for the chair, was quite sure he would not. 11. To distract or divert (someone) from a course of action, a goal, etc. Labels: archaic, obsolete, transitive Example: I doe not flie, but aduantagious care, / VVith-drevv me from the ods of multitude, […] Example: […] Puſillanimity; by vvhich that ſeems great to him, vvhich other men think a trifle: and vvhatſoever is nevv, or great, and therefore thought fit to be told, vvithdravves a man by degrees from the intended vvay of his diſcourſe. 12. To extract (money) from a bank account or other financial deposit. Labels: transitive Example: VVhatever part of his ſtock a man employs as a capital, he alvvays expects is to be replaced to him vvith a profit. […] VVhenever he employs any part of it in maintaining unproductive hands of any kind, that part is, from that moment, vvithdravvn from his capital, and placed in his ſtock reſerved for immediate conſumption. 13. Chiefly followed by from: to leave a place, someone's presence, etc., to go to another room or place. Labels: intransitive Example: [The] army togither with the kyng of Scottes and the other Lordes there founde, entred Scotland, and did muche hurte in the country of Galloway, deſtroying towns and all that they found abroade, but the people were fled and withdrawen out of theyr way. And when they had taken their pleaſure, the Kyng of Scottes retourned backe to Carleil. Example: VVell daughter, and you gentlevvomen all, / VVithdravv into a chamber by your ſelues, / And vvhen I ſend for you come hither masked: […] 14. Chiefly followed by from: to leave a place, someone's presence, etc., to go to another room or place. Labels: intransitive, specifically Example: King A horſe, a horſe, my kingdome for a horſe. / [Sir William] Cateſ[by]. VVithdravv my lord, Ile helpe you to a horſe. Example: I beg your Greatneſs not to give the Lavv / In others Realms, but, beaten, to vvithdravv. 15. Chiefly followed by from: to stop taking part in some activity; also, to remove oneself from the company of others, from publicity, etc. Labels: intransitive Example: I vvill vvithdravv from your Company; retire to the Shades, and perform my Penance of a Thouſand Years. Example: Novv great Achilles from our Aid vvithdravvs, / By me provok'd; a Captive Maid the Cauſe: […] 16. To stop talking to or interacting with other people and start thinking thoughts not related to what is happening. Labels: intransitive 17. To stop taking an addictive drug or substance; to undergo withdrawal. Labels: intransitive Example: Simon had tried to rob a bank while he was withdrawing, but he had been forced to surrender to the police after they had fired several volleys at him. 18. Of a man: to remove the penis from a partner's body orifice before ejaculation; to engage in coitus interruptus. Labels: intransitive Example: Like a fool, I agreed to let him make love to me as long as he withdrew before he ejaculated and he promised he would, but then he didn't.