DRAW

verb

Synonyms

Draw, Drag. Draw differs from drag in this, that drag implies a natural inaptitude for drawing, or positive resistance; it is applied to things pulled or hauled along the ground, or moved with toil or difficulty. Draw is applied to all bodies moved by force in advance, whatever may be the degree of force; it commonly implies that some kind of aptitude or provision exists for drawing. Draw is the more general or generic term, and drag the more specific. We say, the horses draw a coach or wagon, but they drag it through mire; yet draw is properly used in both cases.

Definitions

  1. 1. To cause to move continuously by force applied in advance of the thing moved; to pull along; to haul; to drag; to cause to follow. He cast him down to ground, and all along Drew him through dirt and mire without remorse. Spenser. He hastened to draw the stranger into a private room. Sir W. Scott. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats James ii. 6. The arrow is now drawn to the head. Atterbury.
  2. 2. To influence to move or tend toward one's self; to exercise an attracting force upon; to call towards itself; to attract; hence, to entice; to allure; to induce. The poet Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods. Shak. All eyes you draw, and with the eyes the heart. Dryden.
  3. 3. To cause to come out for one's use or benefit; to extract; to educe; to bring forth; as: (a) To bring or take out, or to let out, from some receptacle, as a stick or post from a hole, water from a cask or well, etc. The drew out the staves of the ark. 2 Chron. v. 9. Draw thee waters for the siege. Nahum iii. 14. I opened the tumor by the point of a lancet without drawing one drop of blood. Wiseman.
  4. 4. To pull from a sheath, as a sword. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Ex. xv. 9.
  5. 5. To extract; to force out; to elicit; to derive. Spirits, by distillations, may be drawn out of vegetable juices, which shall flame and fume of themselves. Cheyne. Until you had drawn oaths from him. Shak.
  6. 6. To obtain from some cause or origin; to infer from evidence or reasons; to deduce from premises; to derive. We do not draw the moral lessons we might from history. Burke.
  7. 7. To take or procure from a place of deposit; to call for and receive from a fund, or the like; as, to draw money from a bank.
  8. 8. To take from a box or wheel, as a lottery ticket; to receive from a lottery by the drawing out of the numbers for prizes or blanks; hence, to obtain by good fortune; to win; to gain; as, he drew a prize.
  9. 9. To select by the drawing of lots. Provided magistracies were filled by men freely chosen or drawn. Freeman.
  10. 10. To remove the contents of; as:
  11. 11. To drain by emptying; to suck dry. Sucking and drawing the breast dischargeth the milk as fast as it can generated. Wiseman.
  12. 12. To extract the bowels of; to eviscerate; as, to draw a fowl; to hang, draw, and quarter a criminal. In private draw your poultry, clean your tripe. King.
  13. 13. To take into the lungs; to inhale; to inspire; hence, also, to utter or produce by an inhalation; to heave. "Where I first drew air." Milton. Drew, or seemed to draw, a dying groan. Dryden.
  14. 14. To extend in length; to lengthen; to protract; to stretch; to extend, as a mass of metal into wire. How long her face is drawn! Shak. And the huge Offa's dike which he drew from the mouth of Wye to that of Dee. J. R. Green.
  15. 15. To run, extend, or produce, as a line on any surface; hence, also, to form by marking; to make by an instrument of delineation; to produce, as a sketch, figure, or picture.
  16. 16. To represent by lines drawn; to form a sketch or a picture of; to represent by a picture; to delineate; hence, to represent by words; to depict; to describe. A flattering painter who made it his care To draw men as they ought to be, not as they are. Goldsmith. Can I, untouched, the fair one's passions move, Or thou draw beauty and not feel its power Prior.
  17. 17. To write in due form; to prepare a draught of; as, to draw a memorial, a deed, or bill of exchange. Clerk, draw a deed of gift. Shak.
  18. 18. To require (so great a depth, as of water) for floating; -- said of a vessel; to sink so deep in (water); as, a ship draws ten feet of water.
  19. 19. To withdraw. [Obs.] Chaucer. Go wash thy face, and draw the action. Shak.
  20. 20. To trace by scent; to track; -- a hunting term.

Other Definitions

This word also has another definition:
Added: October 09, 2025 Updated: October 09, 2025
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