draw / drô/ • v. (past drew / droō/ ; past part. drawn / drôn/ ) [tr.] 1. produce (a picture or diagram) by making lines and marks, esp. with a pen or pencil, on paper: he drew a map. ∎  produce an image of (someone or something) in such a way: I asked her to draw me | [intr.] she draws really well. ∎  trace or produce (a line or mark) on a surface: she drew a wavering line down the board | fig. where will we draw the outer boundaries of this Europe? 2. pull or drag (something such as a vehicle) so as to make it follow behind: a cart drawn by two horses. ∎  [tr.] pull or move (something) in a specified direction: I drew back the blanket and uncovered the body. ∎  [tr.] gently pull or guide (someone) in a specified direction: “David,” she whispered, drawing him aside. ∎  [intr.] move in a slow steady way: the driver slowed as he drew even with me | the train drew into the station. ∎  [intr.] come to or arrive at a point in time or a specified point in a process: the campaign drew to a close | the time for the parade itself is drawing near. ∎  pull (curtains, blinds, or other such coverings) shut or open: do you want me to draw the drapes? | she drew back the curtains and looked out. ∎  make (wire) by pulling a piece of metal through successively smaller holes.3. extract (an object or liquid) from a container or receptacle: he drew his gun and peered into the gloomy apartment | the children went down to the pond to draw water | the syringe drew off most of the fluid | [as adj.] (drawn) he met them with a drawn sword. ∎  run (a bath): she drew him a hot bath. ∎  (draw something from) obtain something from (a particular source): an independent panel of judges drawn from members of the public | he draws inspiration from ordinary scenes and simple places. ∎  (draw on) use (one's experience, talents, or skills) as a resource: Sue has a lot of past experience to draw on. ∎  obtain or withdraw (money) from a bank or other source: this check draws against my personal account. ∎  Hunting search (cover) for game. ∎  Bridge (of player) force the opponents to play (cards in a particular suit) by leading cards in that suit: before establishing his diamonds, declarer must draw trumps. ∎  [intr.] suck smoke from (a cigarette or pipe). ∎  [intr.] (of a chimney, flue, or fire) allow air to flow in and upward freely, so that a fire can burn: failure of a fire to draw properly can have a number of causes. ∎  take in (a breath): Mrs. Feather drew a long breath and let it out. ∎  [intr.] (of tea) be left standing so that the flavor is extracted from the leaves: a pot of tea is allowed to draw. ∎  disembowel: after a mockery of a trial he was hanged, drawn, and quartered.4. be the cause of (a specified response): he drew criticism for his lavish spending. ∎  attract (someone) to come to a place or an event: you really drew the crowds with your playing customers drawn in by the reductions. ∎  (usu. be drawn) induce (someone) to reveal or do something: I would rather not be drawn into your argument. ∎  direct or attract (someone's attention) to something: it was an outrage and we had to draw people's attention to it. ∎  reach (a conclusion) by deduction or inference from a set of circumstances: the moral to be drawn is that spending wins votes. ∎  formulate or perceive (a comparison or distinction): the law drew a clear distinction between innocent and fraudulent misrepresentation.5. Golf hit (the ball) so that it travels slightly to the left (for a left-handed player, the right), usually as a result of spin given to the ball: he had to learn to draw the ball—not least for the tee shots at Augusta. Compare with fade (sense 3). ∎ Billiards impart backspin to (the cue ball), making it move backwards after hitting an object ball.6. (of a ship) require (a specified depth of water) to float in; have (a certain draft): boats that draw only a few inches of water.7. [intr.] (of a sail) be filled with wind.• n. 1. an act of selecting names randomly, typically by extracting them from a bag or other container, to match competitors in a game or tournament: the draw has been made for this year's tournament.2. a game that ends with the score even; a tie.3. a person or thing that is very attractive or interesting: the big city was a powerful draw to youngsters.4. an act of inhaling smoke from a cigar: superb cigars offering tons of peppery smoke on each draw.5. an act of removing a gun from its holster in order to shoot.6. Golf a shot causing the ball to deviate to the left (or, for a left-handed golfer, the right). ∎ Billiards backspin imparted to a cue ball, causing it to move backwards after hitting an object ball.PHRASES: draw a blank see blank.draw blood cause someone to bleed, esp. in the course of a fight: the blow drew blood from the corner of his mouth | fig. she knew she'd drawn blood when the smile faded from his face. draw fire attract hostile criticism, usually away from a more important target: the vaccination campaign continued to draw fire.draw the line at set a limit of what one is willing to do or accept, beyond which one will not go: she drew the line at prostitution.draw lots see lot.draw the short straw see straw.quick on the draw very fast in taking one's gun from its holster. ∎ fig. very fast in acting or reacting.PHRASAL VERBS: draw back choose not to do something that one was expected to do: the government has drawn back from attempting reform.draw on (of a period of time) pass by and approach its end: he remembered sitting in silence with his grandmother as evening drew on.draw something on put an item of clothing on: she drew on her gloves.draw someone out gently or subtly persuade someone to talk or become more expansive: she drew me out and flattered me.draw something out make something last longer: the transition was long drawn out.draw up come to a halt: drivers drew up at the lights.draw something up prepare a plan, proposal, agreement, or other document in detail: they instructed an attorney to draw up a sales agreement.draw oneself up make oneself stand in a stiffly upright manner: Sarah drew herself up, full of indignation that he should presume to judge her.

128. Drawing

See also 23. ART ; 141. ENGRAVING ; 428. WRITING .

anaglyptography

the technique of making drawings and etchings that appear to be carved in low relief. —anaglyptographic , adj.

arcograph

cyclograph.

chalcography

1 . Archaic. the art of engraving on copper plates, especially for printing.

2 . the art of drawing with chalks or pastels.

charcoalist

an artist who specializes in charcoal drawings or sketches.

chiaroscuro, chiarooscuro

a technique of painting or drawing using light and shade to achieve a three-dimensional quality. — chiaroscurist , n.

cyclograph

an instrument for drawing arcs with a flexible arc-shaped part connected at the sides to an extensible straight bar. Also called arcograph .

diagraph

a device used for the mechanical reproduction of plans, outlines, etc., on a scale other than that of the original.

diagraphics

the art of graphic representation or drawing. —diagraphic, diagraphical , adj.

graphiology

the art or craft of writing or delineating. —graphiologist . n.

ichnography

1 . the rendering of a horizontal section of an object in scale.

2 . the rendering of a floor plan of a building in a specific scale. —ichnographic, ichnographical , adj.

isometric projection

the rendering of an object or floor plan in scale as viewed from a stated angle. Cf. orthographic projection .

micrograph

an apparatus used for miniature writing or drawing. —micrography , n.

monogram, monography

Obsolete, a sketch or drawing in outline without color.

orthographic projection

a rendering of an object or floor plan of a building in scale as viewed perpendicularly from above. Cf. isometric projection .

pastelist, pastellist

an artist who specializes in the use of pastels.

perigraph

a poorly executed or inaccurate delineation.

planography

Rare. the art of drawing maps or plans. —planographist , n. —planographic, planographical , adj.

scenography

the rendering of an object on a perspective plane. —scenographer , n. —scenographic, scenographical , adj.

skiagraphy

1 . the technique of rilling in the outline of the shadow made by an object to create a pictorial work or shadowgraph.

2 . the creation of skiagrams on film with x rays. —skiagram , n. —skiagrapher , n.

stereography

the art of representing the forms of solid bodies on a plane surface. —stereographer , n. —stereographic, stereographical , adj.

stylography

the art of drawing, writing, or engraving with a style or similar instrument. —stylographic, stylographical, adj.

xylopyrography

the art or technique of producing a picture or design on a piece of wood by burning it with a heated, pointed instrument. Also called poker painting .

DRAW Abbrev. for direct read after write. In optical or magnetic data storage, a writing technique in which each bit of data is read immediately after it is written. This enables an erroneous sector to be recognized before the next sector starts to be written and errors can be managed accordingly, generally by flagging the defective sector or block and repeating the same data in the next sector. Nearly all magnetic tape drives, and many optical disk drives, use this technique. See also DRDW.

The term is sometimes erroneously used in an optical-storage context simply to imply that written information is immediately ready for reading, without an intermediate processing operation such as would be required for photographic recording.

draw·ing / ˈdrô-ing/ • n. 1. a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, or crayon rather than paint, esp. one drawn in monochrome: a series of charcoal drawings on white paper. ∎  the art or skill or making such pictures or diagrams: she took lessons in drawing.2. the selection of a winner or winners in a lottery or raffle: entrants need not be present at the drawing.

draw draw someone's fire attract hostile criticism away from a more important target.
draw the longbow make exaggerated statements about one's own achievements, boast; the term is recorded from the early 19th century.
whosoever draws his sword against the prince must throw the scabbard away anyone who tries to assassinate or depose a monarch must remain constantly on the defence, so that his sword can never return to its scabbard. Saying recorded from the early 17th century.

See also draw the line at, draw the short straw.