draw
Other forms: drew; drawing; draws
At the cartooning contest, you could draw out your pen and draw a narwhal, and the competition could still end in a draw. The meanings of draw include "to pull gently" and "to sketch" and "an even score".
The original meaning of draw comes from the Old English dragan, "drag." This meaning is still common today, like when you draw the curtains shut or when a horse draws a carriage through Central Park. The most common way to use the verb draw is to mean "produce an image using lines," which came from the idea of drawing a pen or pencil across paper. Occasionally, draw gets confused with drawer, a noun meaning "a compartment that slides out."
Definitions of draw
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cause to move by pulling“draw a wagon”
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pull
apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion
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pull
cause to move in a certain direction by exerting a force upon, either physically or in an abstract sense
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Antonyms:
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force, push
move with force
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push
press against forcefully without moving
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types:
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twitch
move or pull with a sudden motion
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pull back
move to a rearward position; pull towards the back
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adduct
draw a limb towards the body
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abduct
pull away from the body
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stretch
pull in opposite directions
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pick, pluck, plunk
pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion
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tug
pull or strain hard at
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drag
pull, as against a resistance
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cart, drag, hale, haul
draw slowly or heavily
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attract, draw in, pull, pull in
direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
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jerk, yank
pull, or move with a sudden movement
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winch
pull or lift up with or as if with a winch
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pick off, pluck, pull off, tweak
pull or pull out sharply
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pull back
stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow)
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skitter
twitch the hook of a fishing line through or along the surface of water
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twang
pluck (strings of an instrument)
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tug
pull hard
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pull along, schlep, shlep
pull along heavily, like a heavy load against a resistance
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trail, train
drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground
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bouse, bowse
haul with a tackle
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arrest, catch, get
attract and fix
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draw in, retract
pull inward or towards a center
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tweeze
pluck with tweezers
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bring
attract the attention of
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pull
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cause to move in a certain direction by exerting a force upon, either physically or in an abstract sense
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move or pull so as to cover or uncover something
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bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover“draw a weapon”
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take liquid out of a container or well“She drew water from the barrel”
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synonyms:
take out
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get out, pull, pull out, take out
bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover
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draw off, take out, withdraw
remove (a commodity) from (a supply source)
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types:
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milk
take milk from female mammals
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pump
draw or pour with a pump
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siphon, siphon off, syphon
convey, draw off, or empty by or as if by a siphon
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sluice
draw through a sluice
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tap
draw (liquor) from a tap
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suck
draw something in by or as if by a vacuum
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rack
draw off from the lees
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deglycerolise, deglycerolize
remove from glycerol
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strip
draw the last milk (of cows)
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get out, pull, pull out, take out
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move or go steadily or gradually
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bring or lead someone to a certain action or condition
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direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes“The store owner was happy that the ad drew in many new customers”
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draw in, retract
pull inward or towards a center
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curl, curl up, draw in
shape one's body into a curl
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Antonyms:
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beat back, drive, force back, push back, repel, repulse
cause to move back by force or influence
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drive
cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force
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types:
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tug
pull hard
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arrest, catch, get
attract and fix
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draw in, retract
pull inward or towards a center
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bring
attract the attention of
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introvert, invaginate
fold inwards
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draw in, retract
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get or derive
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elicit responses, such as objections, criticism, applause, etc.
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cause to flow
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cause to localize at one point
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represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface“She drew an elephant”“Draw me a horse”
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types:
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pencil
write, draw, or trace with a pencil
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delineate, limn, outline
trace the shape of
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rule
mark or draw with a ruler
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chalk
write, draw, or trace with chalk
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project
draw a projection of
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crayon
write, draw, or trace with a crayon
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check, checker, chequer
mark into squares or draw squares on; draw crossed lines on
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charcoal
draw, trace, or represent with charcoal
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doodle
make a doodle; draw aimlessly
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diagram, plot
make a schematic or technical drawing of that shows interactions among variables or how something is constructed
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cartoon
draw cartoons of
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fill in, shade
represent the effect of shade or shadow on
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chalk out, sketch
make a sketch of
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lipstick
form by tracing with lipstick
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contour
form the contours of
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crosshatch
shade with multiple crossing lines
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graph
plot upon a graph
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make a mark or lines on a surface“draw a line”
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types:
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construct
draw with suitable instruments and under specified conditions
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inscribe
draw within a figure so as to touch in as many places as possible
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circumscribe
draw a line around
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circumscribe
draw a geometric figure around another figure so that the two are in contact but do not intersect
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write
mark or trace on a surface
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dot
make a dot or dots
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stenograph
write in shorthand
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calligraph
write beautifully and ornamentally
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cross
trace a line through or across
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superscribe
write on the outside or upper part of
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superscribe
write on the top or outside
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capitalise, capitalize
write in capital letters
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letter
mark letters on or mark with letters
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print
write as if with print; not cursive
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scrawl, scribble
write carelessly
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copy
copy down as is
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impress, print
reproduce by printing
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type of:
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mark
make or leave a mark on
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engage in drawing
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make, formulate, or derive in the mind“I draw a line here”“draw a conclusion”“draw parallels”
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synonyms:
make
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make
calculate as being
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type of:
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create by mental act, create mentally
create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands
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make
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give a description of“He drew an elaborate plan of attack”
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represent
describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality
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delineate
describe in vivid detail
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adumbrate, outline, sketch
describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
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emblematize, symbolise, symbolize
represent or identify by using a symbol; use symbols
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actualise, actualize
represent or describe realistically
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block out
indicate roughly
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write a legal document or paper
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take in, also metaphorically“She drew strength from the minister's words”
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mop, mop up, wipe up
to wash or wipe with or as if with a mop
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blot
dry (ink) with blotting paper
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sponge up
absorb as if with a sponge
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swab, swob
wash with a swab or a mop
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sponge
soak up with a sponge
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suck in or take (air)
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select or take in from a given group or region
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remove (a commodity) from (a supply source)“She drew $2,000 from the account”“The doctors drew medical supplies from the hospital's emergency bank”
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take out
take liquid out of a container or well
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types:
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check out, cheque
withdraw money by writing a check
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dip
take a small amount from
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divert, hive off
withdraw (money) and move into a different location, often secretly and with dishonest intentions
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overdraw
draw more money from than is available
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tap
draw from or dip into to get something
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disinvest, divest
reduce or dispose of; cease to hold (an investment)
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take out
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allow a draft
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require a specified depth for floating
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pull (a person) apart with four horses tied to his extremities, so as to execute him“in the old days, people were drawn and quartered for certain crimes”
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synonyms:
draw and quarter, quarter
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type of:
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kill
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
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kill
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thread on or as if on a string
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pass over, across, or through“He drew her hair through his fingers”
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rub
move over something with pressure
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thread
pass through or into
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thread
pass a thread through
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brush
rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
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pumice
rub with pumice, in order to clean or to smoothen
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gauge
rub to a uniform size
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puree, strain
rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender
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rosin
rub rosin onto
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sponge down, sponge off
clean with a sponge, by rubbing
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worry
touch or rub constantly
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scour, scrub
clean with hard rubbing
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abrade, scour
rub hard or scrub
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blur, smear, smudge, smutch
make a smudge on; soil by smudging
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grate, scrape
scratch repeatedly
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pass over, wipe
rub with a circular motion
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grate
reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface
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contract“The material drew after it was washed in hot water”
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type of:
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change form, change shape, deform
assume a different shape or form
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change form, change shape, deform
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reduce the diameter of (a wire or metal rod) by pulling it through a die“draw wire”
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type of:
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thin
make thin or thinner
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thin
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flatten, stretch, or mold metal or glass, by rolling or by pulling it through a die or by stretching
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stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow)
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earn or achieve a base by being walked by the pitcher
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steep; pass through a strainer
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remove the entrails of“draw a chicken”
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synonyms:
disembowel, eviscerate
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the act of drawing or hauling something
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an entertainer who attracts large audiences“he was the biggest drawing card they had”
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synonyms:
attracter, attraction, attractor, drawing card
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type of:
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entertainer
a person who tries to please or amuse
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entertainer
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finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc.
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the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided
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choose at random
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anything (straws or pebbles etc.) taken or chosen at random“the luck of the draw”“they drew lots for it”
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synonyms:
lot
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type of:
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object, physical object
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
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object, physical object
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a playing card or cards dealt or taken from the pack“he got a pair of kings in the draw”
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type of:
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playing card
one of a pack of cards that are used to play card games
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playing card
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poker in which a player can discard cards and receive substitutes from the dealer“he played only draw and stud”
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synonyms:
draw poker
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type of:
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poker, poker game
any of various card games in which players bet that they hold the highest-ranking hand
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poker, poker game
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a golf shot that curves to the left for a right-handed golfer
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type of:
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golf shot, golf stroke, swing
the act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it
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golf shot, golf stroke, swing
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(American football) the quarterback moves back as if to pass and then hands the ball to the fullback who is running toward the line of scrimmage
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synonyms:
draw play
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type of:
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run, running, running game, running play
(American football) a play in which a player attempts to carry the ball through or past the opposing team
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run, running, running game, running play
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a gully that is shallower than a ravine
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type of:
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gully
a deep ditch cut by running water (especially after a prolonged downpour)
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gully
Pronunciation
US
/drɔ/
UK
/drɔ/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘draw'.
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