draw

Formal, Often To pull (someone or something) in a particular direction or manner.

To move (a body part) in a particular direction.

Often followed by tight: to pull (something, such as a belt or string) so that it tightens or wraps around something more closely.

To drag (something), especially along the ground.

To pull (blinds, a curtain, etc.) open or closed.

To pull out (a bolt or latch) to unlock a door, gate, etc.; also, to push in (a bolt or latch) to lock a door, gate, etc.

Chiefly followed by aside or to one side: to move (someone) away from a group of people in order to speak to them privately.

To assume a specific attitude or position, either by pulling in or stretching out one's body or limbs.

Figuratively To cause (a body part) to contract or shrink; also, to pull (the mouth, the face or features, etc.) out of shape from emotion, etc.; to distort.

Archaic, Figuratively To cause (someone or something) to go from one place to another, or from one condition to another.

Archaic, Figuratively To construct (a canal, wall, etc.) from one point to another.

Ball games, Billiards, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Figuratively To strike (the cue ball) below the centre so as to give it a backward rotation which causes it to move backwards on striking another ball.

Figuratively To cause (a bowl) to move in a curve to a certain place.

Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Archaic, Figuratively Of a batter: to hit (a ball) from the off side to the leg side, especially with an inclined bat; also, to hit (a short-length ball directed at the leg stump) with an inclined bat so as to deflect the ball between the legs and the wicket.

Ball games, Curling, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Figuratively To play (a shot or a stone) that lands in the house (“circular target”).

Golf, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Figuratively To hit (the ball) with the toe of the club so that it is deflected toward the left (or, for a left-handed player, toward the right, originally in an uncontrolled and now a controlled manner.

Nautical, Transport Figuratively Of a vessel: to require (a certain depth of water) to float in.

Historical To drag (someone) by tying behind a horse or on a frame as a form of punishment or torture, or to bring to a place of execution.

Historical To kill someone as a form of punishment or torture by tearing apart (their body) by tying their limbs to horses which run in different directions; also, to tear (the limbs) from someone's body in this manner.

Archery, Government, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Martial arts, Military, Politics, Sports, War To pull back (an arrow or bowstring) in preparation for shooting the arrow; also, to cause (a bow) to bend by pulling back the bowstring.

Arithmetic To subject (a number) to an arithmetic operation.

Fishing, Hobbies, Lifestyle to haul in (a fishing net) which has been cast; also, to drag (a fishing net) alongside a boat.

Nautical, Transport Archaic To hoist (a sail).

UK, Regional To carry (a load) in a vehicle; to cart, to haul.

Obsolete To sew together (the edges of a tear); also, to mend (a hole or tear) in fabric.

Obsolete To use (a draught animal) to pull a plough or vehicle.

Figuratively, Obsolete To attribute (something) to a person or thing; to ascribe.

Figuratively, Obsolete To change (something) into another thing; to convert, to transform.

Figuratively, Obsolete To convert (a passage) from one literary style to another (for example, from prose to verse); or to translate (a text) from one language to another.

Figuratively, Obsolete To direct (one's heart, thoughts, etc.) in a certain way or towards someone or something.

Figuratively, Obsolete To give (courage, strength, etc.) to oneself; to summon up; also, to produce (evil, wickedness, etc.) in oneself.

Figuratively, Obsolete To give (words) a certain meaning, especially one which is distorted; to distort, to misrepresent.

Cooking, Food, Lifestyle Figuratively, Obsolete Followed by through: to pass (food) through a strainer.

Cooking, Food, Lifestyle Figuratively, Obsolete To mix (an ingredient) with another ingredient or ingredients to form a liquid or paste; to mix (ingredients) together to form a liquid or paste.

To be (able to be) pulled in a particular direction or manner.

Of blinds, a curtain, etc.: to be pulled open or closed.

Figuratively Of a bowl: to move in a curve to a certain place.

Ball games, Curling, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Figuratively To make a shot that lands in the house.

Nautical, Transport Figuratively Followed by an adverb, such as deep or shallow: of a vessel: to require a depth of water of a certain characteristic to float in.

Archaic Especially of a draught animal: to pull something, such as a plough or vehicle, along; to have force to move something by pulling.

Archaic Of a plough or vehicle: to be pulled along in a specified manner.

Archaic To become contracted; to shrink.

Archery, Government, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Martial arts, Military, Politics, Sports, War To pull back an arrow or bowstring in preparation for shooting the arrow; also, to cause a bow to bend by pulling back the bowstring.

Scotland, Archaic, Figuratively To work together towards a common aim; to cooperate, to pull together; also, to have a good relationship with; to get on with.

Obsolete To be dragged along; to drag.

Obsolete To pull at something; to tug.

To induce (the attention, the eyes or mind, etc.) to be directed at or focused on something.

To attract or cause (someone) to come to a particular place or to take a particular course of action; also, to cause (someone) to turn away from a particular condition or course of action.

To attract (something) by means of a physical force, especially gravity or magnetism.

To attract or provoke (a particular reaction or response) from someone.

To cause (something) to occur as a consequence; to bring about.

Followed by on or upon: to bring (disaster or misfortune) on oneself.

To receive (a particular prison sentence).

To take (air, smoke, etc.) into the lungs; to breathe in, to inhale.

To cause (air) to be sucked into a duct, a room, etc.

Archaic To drag or suck deeply on (a cigarette, pipe, or other smoking implement).

To attract or provoke gunfire, either intentionally or unintentionally.

To attract or influence a person or group of people; to be an inducement or enticement.

To take a drink of a beverage, especially an alcoholic one; to swig.

Of a duct, smoking implement, etc.: to allow air to be passed through it in order that combustion can occur.

Followed by at or on: to drag or suck deeply on a cigarette, pipe, or other smoking implement.

Chiefly followed by about or around: of a group of people: to come together; to assemble, to congregate, to gather.

To make (something) larger or longer; to elongate, to stretch.

Followed by out: to flatten (a piece of metal), usually by hammering.

To make (wire) by pulling a rod or other piece of metal through one or more apertures; also, to stretch (a rod or other piece of metal) into a wire.

To make (straw straight for thatching by pulling it through the hands.

Obsolete To amount to (a certain quantity or sum).

Obsolete To extend the duration of (something); to prolong.

Obsolete To stretch (someone) on a rack as a form of punishment or torture.

To be made larger or longer; to be elongated or stretched.

To make straw straight for thatching by pulling it through the hands.

Nautical, Transport Of a sail: to fill with wind and become taut.

Obsolete To amount to a certain quantity or sum.

Obsolete To extend in area or space; to spread, to stretch.

To extract (a tooth); to pull.

To extract (juice, oil, or some other fluid) from something by osmosis, pressure, or another process.

To extract (a small amount of liquid, especially blood) by puncturing a surface, or by using a pipette, syringe, or other suction device.

To leave (tea) temporarily in water to allow the flavour to increase; to infuse, to steep.

To pull out (a firearm, sword, or other weapon) from a holster, sheath, etc.; to unsheathe.

To take (a beverage) from a cask or keg using a pump or tap; to tap.

To take up (water) from a well or other source, especially by lifting in a container or pumping.

To soak up (a liquid, etc.); to absorb; specifically, of an organism (especially a plant) or one of its parts: to take in (nutrients, water, etc.).

Of a channel, drain, etc.: to carry (water) away.

Historical Chiefly in draw and quarter and hang, draw and quarter: to disembowel (someone), especially after hanging as a punishment for high treason.

Cooking, Food, Lifestyle To remove the viscera from (an animal, especially a bird) before cooking.

Medicine, Sciences Archaic To attract (humours, pus, etc.), chiefly by bringing to the surface of the body, so it can be dispersed or removed; also, to treat (a wound) in this way.

Business, Mining To raise (coal or ore) from an underground mine to the surface.

To select (one or more things) at random from a collection of similar things to decide which of a group of people will receive something such as a prize, or undergo something such as an assignment; also, to select (someone) by this process; to win (a prize) in a lottery or lucky draw.

To conduct, or select the winning numbers, tickets, etc., for, (a lottery).

To remove the contents of (something, especially a kiln or oven); to empty.

To fill a bathtub with (water for a bath); to run (a bath).

Archaic To withdraw (something); specifically (gambling), to withdraw (a bet or wager); also (horse racing), to withdraw (a horse) from a race.

Agriculture, Business, Horticulture, Lifestyle UK, Archaic, Regional Of a plant or its roots: to deplete (soil) of nutrients.

Agriculture, Business, Lifestyle To separate (sheep) from a flock for a particular purpose, such as breeding or selling.

Card games, Games To be dealt or to take (a playing card) from the deck; also, to have (a particular hand) as a result of this.

Fishing, Hobbies, Lifestyle To fish by dragging a fishing net along (a shore) or in (a body of water).

Hobbies, Hunting, Lifestyle To search (a covert, a wood, etc.) for game or a quarry.

Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To end (a game or match) with neither side winning, that is, in a draw.

Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports In a match scheduled to last for a certain period of time: to end (a match) with neither side winning because the team batting last has not completed its innings when the playing time concludes.

Business, Manufacturing Historical To separate (a length of lace made by machine) into sections by removing the threads connecting the sections.

Northern, Scotland To take milk from (a cow); to milk.

Agriculture, Business, Lifestyle Obsolete To separate (seeds) from the husks of clover or trefoil; also, to separate seeds from the husks of (clover or trefoil).

Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Obsolete, Rare To take (a wicket).

Falconry, Hobbies, Hunting, Lifestyle Obsolete To remove (a hawk) from a mew after it has moulted.

Obsolete To steal (something) from a person, especially by picking a pocket; also to pick the pocket of (someone); to steal from (a place).

To consume (power).

To take (something) from a particular source, especially of information; to derive.

To call forth (something) from a person, to elicit.

To deduce or infer (a conclusion); to make (a deduction).

To receive (a salary); to withdraw (money) from a bank etc.

To elicit information from (someone); to induce (a person) to speak on some subject. (Now frequently in passive.)

To pull out a firearm, sword, or other weapon from a holster, sheath, etc.

To take up water from a well or other source, especially by lifting it in a container or pumping it.

To select one or more things at random from a collection of similar things to decide which of a group of people will receive or undergo something.

To leave tea temporarily in water to allow the flavour to increase; to infuse, to steep; also, of a teapot: to cause tea to infuse.

Of a bathtub: to be filled with water for a bath; to be run.

Of a channel, drain, etc.: to carry water away.

Of a liquid: to drain away, to percolate.

Medicine, Sciences Archaic To treat a wound by attracting humours, pus, etc., chiefly by bringing such material to the surface of the body, so it can be dispersed or removed.

Card games, Games To be dealt or to take a playing card from the deck.

Dominoes, Games To take a domino from the stock.

Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To end a game or match with neither side winning, that is, in a draw; to tie.

Obsolete To take alcoholic beverages from casks or kegs in an inn or tavern; to work as a drawer or barman.

Falconry, Hobbies, Hunting, Lifestyle Obsolete To remove a hawk from a mew after it has moulted.

Archaic To move in a specific direction.

Used with prepositions and adverbs To move steadily in a particular direction or into a specific position.

To come to, towards (a particular moment in time); to approach (a time).

Hobbies, Hunting, Lifestyle Archaic To search for game; to track a quarry.

To produce (a figure, line, picture, representation of something, etc.) with a piece of chalk, a crayon, a pen, a pencil, or other instrument.

To carve or shape (something) by cutting off thin pieces.

To make (a comparison or contrast) between two or more things; to compare; to contrast, to distinguish.

Often followed by on or upon and the person or institution providing the money: to write (a bill, cheque, or draft) to authorize payment of money.

Now chiefly in the form draw up: to compose or write (a piece of text, especially a formal document).

Figuratively To depict (something) linguistically; to portray (something) in words; to describe.

Agriculture, Business, Lifestyle To create (a furrow) by pulling a plough through soil.

Obsolete To arrange or devise (something); to contrive.

Obsolete To produce (a three-dimensional figure of something); to model, to mould, to sculpt.

To produce an image of something with a piece of chalk, a crayon, a pen, a pencil, or other instrument; to make a drawing or drawings.