draw

drawverb

To draw is to pull or bring something along or out: a line across paper to make a picture, a chair toward you, a card out of a pack, people toward a place, or an idea out of facts.

1. picturesmake a picture, a line, or a shape with a pencil or pen

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj] verb + two objects [V + obj + obj]

   • Sam likes to draw.
   • She drew a picture of her cat. V + obj
   • Draw a line under the title. V + obj
   • Can you draw me a map? V + obj + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun draw a picture, draw a map, draw a line, draw a circle

   verb + adverb draw well

   Compare paint

2. pullmove someone or something toward you or in a particular direction by pulling

   Draw the curtains can mean either open them or close them; the situation shows which.

   transitive [T] verb + object + adverb [V + obj + adv] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

   • He drew his chair closer to the table. V + obj + adv
   • She drew me aside to tell me the news. V + obj + adv
   • Could you draw the curtains? It's getting dark. V + obj (closing them here)

   Collocations

   verb + noun draw the curtains, draw a chair up

   verb + adverb draw someone aside, draw something closer

   Synonyms pull

3. take outtake something out of a container, a pocket, or a bank account

   transitive [T] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj] verb + object [V + obj] verb + object + adverb [V + obj + adv]

   • She drew a card from the pack. V + obj + prep + obj
   • He drew a knife from his pocket. V + obj + prep + obj
   • I drew some money out of my account. V + obj + adv

   Collocations

   verb + noun draw a card, draw money, draw water

   verb + preposition draw something from something, draw something out of something

   Compare withdraw

4. attractmake people come to a place or event, or make them interested in something

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

   • The market draws visitors from all over the region. V + obj
   • The show drew a large crowd. V + obj
   • I was drawn to her from the moment we met. V + obj + prep + obj (passive: feel attracted)
   • She tried not to draw attention to herself. V + obj + prep + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun draw a crowd, draw visitors, draw attention to something, draw interest

   phrase be drawn to someone

   Synonyms attract

5. movemove in a particular direction, or come nearer in time

   Used mainly of vehicles, people, and times or events (night drew near, the holidays are drawing near). The uses about time are a little formal.

   intransitive [I] verb + adverb or preposition [V + adv/prep]

   • The train drew into the station. V + adv/prep
   • A car drew up outside the house. V + adv/prep
   • As the day drew to a close, the air grew cold. V + adv/prep

   Collocations

   verb + adverb draw near, draw closer

   phrase draw to a close, draw to an end

6. ideaform an idea, an opinion, or a comparison from the facts you have

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

   • What conclusions can we draw from these results? V + obj + prep + obj
   • It's too early to draw any conclusions. V + obj
   • The writer draws a comparison between the two cities. V + obj + prep + obj
   • We can draw an important lesson from this. V + obj + prep + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun draw a conclusion, draw a comparison, draw a distinction, draw a lesson

7. gameend a game with the same score as the other side

   American English usually says tie.

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj] verb + preposition + object [V + prep + obj] Britishsport

   • The two teams drew 1–1.
   • We drew our last game. V + obj
   • They drew with the champions at home. V + prep + obj

   Collocations

   verb + preposition draw with someone

   Synonyms tie

8. choose by chancechoose a name, a number, or a ticket by chance, without looking

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] verb + object + adverb [V + obj + adv] usually passive [usually passive]

   • The winning ticket will be drawn on Friday. V + obj (passive)
   • We drew names out of a hat to decide who would go first. V + obj + adv

   Collocations

   verb + noun draw lots, draw names, draw the winning ticket

See also draw up; draw on