draw

[ draw ]

verb (used with object)

, drew [droo], drawn [drawn], draw·ing [draw, -ing].

1. to cause to move in a particular direction by or as if by a pulling force; pull; drag (often followed by along, away, in, out, or off ).

   Synonyms: tow, tug

2. to bring, take, or pull out, as from a receptacle or source:

   to draw water from a well.

3. to bring toward oneself or itself, as by inherent force or influence; attract:

   The concert drew a large audience.

4. to sketch (someone or something) in lines or words; delineate; depict:

   to draw a vase with charcoal; to draw the comedy's characters with skill.

5. to compose or create (a picture) in lines.
6. to mark or lay out; trace:

   to draw perpendicular lines.

7. to frame or formulate:

   to draw a distinction.

8. to write out in legal form (sometimes followed by up ):

   Draw up the contract.

9. to inhale or suck in:

   to draw liquid through a straw.

10. to derive or use, as from a source:

    to draw inspiration from Shakespeare.

11. to deduce; infer:

    to draw a conclusion.

12. to get, take, or receive, as from a source:

    to draw interest on a savings account; to draw a salary of $600 a week.

13. to withdraw funds from a drawing account, especially against future commissions on sales.
14. to produce; bring in:

    The deposits draw interest.

15. to disembowel:

    to draw a turkey.

16. to drain:

    to draw a pond.

17. to pull out to full or greater length; make by attenuating; stretch:

    to draw filaments of molten glass.

18. to bend (a bow) by pulling back its string in preparation for shooting an arrow.
19. to choose or to have assigned to one at random, by or as by picking an unseen number, item, etc.:

    Let's draw straws to see who has to wash the car.

20. Metalworking. to form or reduce the sectional area of (a wire, tube, etc.) by pulling through a die.
21. to wrinkle or shrink by contraction.
22. Medicine/Medical. to cause to discharge:

    to draw an abscess by a poultice.

23. to obtain (rations, clothing, equipment, weapons, or ammunition) from an issuing agency, as an army quartermaster.
24. Nautical. (of a vessel) to need (a specific depth of water) to float:

    She draws six feet.

25. to leave (a contest) undecided; finish with neither side winning, as in a tie.
26. Cards.
    1. to take or be dealt (a card or cards) from the pack.
    2. Bridge. to remove the outstanding cards in (a given suit) by leading that suit:

       He had to draw spades first in order to make the contract.

27. Billiards. to cause (a cue ball) to recoil after impact by giving it a backward spin on the stroke.
28. Northeastern U.S. (chiefly New England). to haul; cart.
29. Hunting. to search (a covert) for game.
30. Cricket. to play (a ball) with a bat held at an angle in order to deflect the ball between the wicket and the legs.
31. Curling. to slide (the stone) gently.
32. to steep (tea) in boiling water.
33. to form or shape (glass) as it comes from the furnace by stretching.

verb (used without object)

, drew [droo], drawn [drawn], draw·ing [draw, -ing].

1. to exert a pulling, moving, or attracting force:

   A sail draws by being properly trimmed and filled with wind.

2. to move or pass, especially slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force (often followed by on, off, out, etc.):

   The day draws near.

3. to take out a sword, pistol, etc., for action.
4. to hold a drawing, lottery, or the like:

   to draw for prizes.

5. to sketch or to trace figures; create a picture or depict by sketching.
6. to be skilled in or practice the art of sketching:

   I can't paint, but I can draw.

7. to shrink or contract (often followed by up ).
8. to make a demand (usually followed by on or upon ):

   to draw on one's imagination.

9. Medicine/Medical.
   1. to act as an irritant; cause blisters.
   2. to cause blood, pus, or the like to gather at a specific point.
10. to produce or permit a draft, as a pipe or flue.
11. to leave a contest undecided; tie.
12. Hunting. (of a hound)
    1. to search a covert for game.
    2. to follow a game animal by its scent.
13. to attract customers, an audience, etc.:

    Our newspaper advertisement drew very well.

14. to pull back the string of a bow in preparation for shooting an arrow.

noun

1. an act of drawing.
2. something that attracts customers, an audience, etc.
3. something that is moved by being drawn, as the movable part of a drawbridge.
4. something that is chosen or drawn at random, as a lot or chance.
5. drawing ( defs 5, 6 ).
6. a contest that ends in a tie; an undecided contest.
7. Also called draw play. Football. a play in which the quarterback fades as if to pass and then hands the ball to a back, usually the fullback, who is running toward the line of scrimmage.
8. Poker.
   1. a card or cards taken or dealt from the pack.
   2. draw poker.
9. Physical Geography.
   1. a small, natural drainageway with a shallow bed; gully.
   2. the dry bed of a stream.
   3. Chiefly Western U.S. a coulee; ravine.
10. the pull necessary to draw a bow to its full extent.
11. an amount regularly drawn, as from a drawing account.
12. a fund, as an expense account or credit line, from which money may be withdrawn when needed.
13. Horology. the tendency of a tooth of an escape wheel to force toward the center of the wheel a pallet engaging with it.

verb phrase

1. 1. to move or begin to move away:

      He drew his hand away from the hot stove.

   2. to move farther ahead:

      The lead runner gradually drew away from his competitor.

2. 1. to gradually pass something moving in the same direction.
   2. Nautical. (of the wind) to blow from a direction closer to that in which a vessel is moving; haul forward. Compare veer ¹( def 2b ).
3. 1. to come nearer; approach:

      He sensed winter drawing on.

   2. to clothe oneself in:

      She drew on her cape and gloves.

   3. Nautical. (of a vessel) to gain on (another vessel).
   4. to utilize or make use of, especially as a source:

      The biography has drawn heavily on personal interviews.

4. to move back or away.
5. to deplete or be depleted through use or consumption:

   to draw down crude-oil supplies.

6. 1. to cause to take part or enter, especially unwittingly:

      I heard them debating the point, but I avoided being drawn in.

   2. to make a rough sketch of:

      to draw in a person's figure against the landscape background.

7. 1. to devise or formulate; draft, especially in legal form or as a formal proposal:

      to draw up a will.

   2. to put into position; arrange in order or formation:

      The officer drew up his men.

   3. to bring or come to a stop; halt:

      Their car drew up at the curb.

8. 1. to pull out; remove.
   2. to prolong; lengthen.
   3. to persuade to speak:

      You'll find she's quite interesting if you take the trouble to draw her out.

   4. Nautical. (of a vessel) to move away from (sometimes followed by from ):

      The boat drew out from the wharf.

   5. to take (money) from a place of deposit:

      She drew her money out of the bank and invested it in bonds.

draw

/ drɔː /

verb

1. to cause (a person or thing) to move towards or away by pulling
2. to bring, take, or pull (something) out, as from a drawer, holster, etc
3. tr to extract or pull or take out

   to draw a card from a pack

   to draw teeth

4. troften foll byoff to take (liquid) out of a cask, keg, tank, etc, by means of a tap
5. intr to move, go, or proceed, esp in a specified direction

   to draw alongside

6. tr to attract or elicit

   to draw a crowd

   draw attention

7. tr to cause to flow

   to draw blood

8. to depict or sketch (a form, figure, picture, etc) in lines, as with a pencil or pen, esp without the use of colour; delineate
9. tr to make, formulate, or derive

   to draw conclusions, comparisons, parallels

10. tr to write (a legal document) in proper form
11. trsometimes foll byin to suck or take in (air, liquid, etc)

    to draw a breath

12. intr to induce or allow a draught to carry off air, smoke, etc

    the flue draws well

13. tr to take or receive from a source

    to draw money from the bank

14. tr to earn

    draw interest

15. tr finance to write out (a bill of exchange or promissory note)

    to draw a cheque

16. tr to choose at random

    to draw lots

17. tr to reduce the diameter of (a wire or metal rod) by pulling it through a die
18. tr to shape (a sheet of metal or glass) by rolling, by pulling it through a die or by stretching
19. archery to bend (a bow) by pulling the string
20. to steep (tea) or (of tea) to steep in boiling water
21. tr to disembowel

    draw a chicken

22. tr to cause (pus, blood, etc) to discharge from an abscess or wound
23. intr (of two teams, contestants, etc) to finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc; tie
24. tr bridge whist to keep leading a suit in order to force out (all outstanding cards)
25. draw trumps
    bridge whist to play the trump suit until the opponents have none left
26. tr billiards to cause (the cue ball) to spin back after a direct impact with another ball by applying backspin when making the stroke
27. tr to search (a place) in order to find wild animals, game, etc, for hunting
28. golf to cause (a golf ball) to move with a controlled right-to-left trajectory or (of a golf ball) to veer gradually from right to left
29. tr curling to deliver (the stone) gently
30. tr nautical (of a vessel) to require (a certain depth) in which to float
31. draw a blank
    to get no results from something
32. draw and quarter
    to disembowel and dismember (a person) after hanging
33. draw stumps
    cricket to close play, as by pulling out the stumps
34. draw the line
    See line 1
35. draw the short straw
    See short straw
36. draw the shot
    bowls to deliver the bowl in such a way that it approaches the jack

noun

1. the act of drawing
2. a sum of money advanced to finance anticipated expenses
3. an event, occasion, act, etc, that attracts a large audience
4. a raffle or lottery
5. something taken or chosen at random, as a ticket in a raffle or lottery
6. a contest or game ending in a tie
7. a small natural drainage way or gully
8. a defect found in metal castings due to the contraction of the metal on solidification

Derived Forms

• ˈdrawable, adjective

Other Words From

• drawa·ble adjective
• mis·draw verb misdrew misdrawn misdrawing
• pre·draw verb predrew predrawn predrawing noun
• re·draw verb redrew redrawn redrawing noun
• un·drawa·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of draw¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English drawen, Old English dragan; cognate with Old Norse draga, German tragen “to carry”; drag

Word History and Origins

Origin of draw¹

Old English dragan; related to Old Norse draga; Old Frisian draga, Old Saxon dragan, Old High German tragan to carry

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. beat to the draw, to react quicker than an opponent.
2. draw oneself up, to assume an erect posture.
3. luck of the draw. luck ( def 10 ).

More idioms and phrases containing draw

• back to the drawing board
• beat to it (the draw)
• daggers drawn
• luck of the draw
• quick on the draw

Synonym Study

Draw, drag, haul, pull imply causing movement of an object toward one by exerting force upon it. To draw is to move by a force, in the direction from which the force is exerted: A magnet draws iron to it. To drag is to draw with the force necessary to overcome friction between the object drawn and the surface on which it rests: to drag a sled to the top of a hill. To haul is to transport a heavy object slowly by mechanical force or with sustained effort: to haul a large boat across a portage. To pull is to draw or tug, exerting varying amounts of force according to the effort needed: to pull out an eyelash; to pull fighting dogs apart.

Example Sentences

The three-day event, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in April, draws nearly 200,000 people to the streets of Long Beach, contributing an estimated $63 million to the region’s economy annually.

From Los Angeles Times

Tanton drew on the views of some of America’s most influential environmentalists.

From Salon

So drawing scheme into "megafunds" will make little, or no, difference to what they receive.

From BBC

They are now just outside the top 24 in Europe, which means they are destined for pot three in the qualifying draw for the World Cup in the Americas in 2026.

From BBC

Like winged creatures of the sky it draws its nickname from, the bird of paradise seems always ready for takeoff, angling itself toward the light of better tomorrows, or at least the possibility of them.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• attract
• bring
• carry
• drag
• elicit
• evoke
• gather
• pick

More About Draw

What is a basic definition of draw?

The verb draw means to sketch something using lines. Draw also means to pull something out of its resting place or to attract something. Draw is also a tied competition. Draw has many other senses as a verb and a noun.

In the artistic sense, drawing something usually means to create an image of it using paper and pencil, crayons, pen, or similar. If you were asked to draw a cat, for example, you would try your best to create a picture of something that resembles a cat. The work of art that a person creates from doing this is called a drawing.

• Real-life examples: Artists draw many images as part of their art or job. Children like to draw pictures in art class. Police will sometimes draw a witness’s description of a suspect’s face to create wanted posters.
• Used in a sentence: The girl drew butterflies on the sidewalk using chalk. 

Draw is also used as a verb to mean to pull or extract something from where it is contained.

• Real-life examples: Police officers hope they don’t have to draw their guns from their holsters. Wells are used to draw water and oil from the ground. A nurse draws blood from a patient using a syringe.
• Used in a sentence: The knight drew his sword and prepared to fight the dragon. 

Draw is also used to mean to attract something or bring something closer.

• Real-life examples: Exciting shows draw large audiences. Bizarre spectacles often draw a crowd. Smelly, rotten food often draws flies and other pests.
• Used in a sentence: The popular singer drew many fans to the concert. 

Draw is also a competition that has no winner or ends in a tie.

• Real-life examples: Basketball games, chess matches, and rock-paper-scissors can all end in draws, in which neither team or player is declared the winner.
• Used in a sentence: The two teams were evenly matched, so the soccer game ended in a draw.

Where does draw come from?

The first records of draw come from before the 900s. It ultimately comes from the Old English word dragan, which is related to the Old Norse draga, meaning “to draw,” and the German tragen, meaning “to carry.”

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to draw?

• drawable (adjective)
• misdraw (verb)
• predraw (verb)
• redraw (verb)
• undrawable (adjective)

What are some synonyms for draw?

• sketch
• trace
• extract
• attract
• allure

What are some words that share a root or word element with draw? 

• drawer
• drawing
• draw away
• draw out
• draw a blank

What are some words that often get used in discussing draw?

• art
• picture
• tie
• stalemate
• weapon
• blood
• straws
• cards

How is draw used in real life?

Draw is an extremely common word with a large number of different meanings. The most common use of draw refers to recreating something as a picture or artistic image.

#wfsbnews Norwich Police -man with a gun near Laurel Hill did not respond to officers- when he drew his weapon, officers fired.

— Kevin P. Hogan (@newspeddler) February 25, 2013

Major respect to Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. for going out there and having a boxing match in their 50’s. Fight ended in a draw. Hard to call because there was more clinching than punching, but still, it takes so much to go out there and box at that age. 🥊

— Gil Cuerva (@gilcuerva) November 29, 2020

Try using draw!

Is draw used correctly in the following sentence?

The famous artist drew many beautiful portraits of celebrities and politicians.