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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
draw verb (past tense drew , past participle drawn, present participle drawing) 1 tr & intr to make a picture of something or someone, especially with a pencil. 2 to pull out, take out or extract something • draw water from a well • with swords drawn. 3 intrans to move or proceed steadily in a specified direction • draw nearer. 4 to pull someone along or into a particular position • drawing her closer to him. 5 to open or close (curtains). 6 to attract (eg attention or criticism). 7 tr & intr (also draw with someone) to end a game with neither side winning; to finish on equal terms with an opponent. 8 to choose or be given as the result of random selection. 9 to arrive at or infer (a conclusion). 10 a) intrans (also draw on (a cigarette)) to suck air (through a cigarette); b said of a chimney: to make air flow through a fire, allowing burning. 11 technical said of a ship: to require (a certain depth of water) to float. 12 intrans said of tea: to brew or infuse. 13 to disembowel • hanged, drawn and quartered. 14 to write (a cheque). 15 golf to hit (the ball) too much to the left if right-handed, or too much to the right if left-handed. 16 bowls a to deliver (a bowl) so that it moves in a curve to the point aimed for; b intrans to move in a curve to the point aimed for. 17 bridge to force one's opponents to play (all their cards of a suit, especially trumps) by continually leading cards of that suit. 18 billiards, etc to hit (the cue ball) so that it recoils after striking another ball. noun 1 a result in which neither side is the winner; a tie. 2 a the making of a random selection, eg of the winners of a competition; b a competition with winners chosen at random. 3 the potential to attract many people, or a person or thing having this. 4 the act of drawing a gun. be drawn on something to be persuaded to talk or give information • He refused to be drawn on his plans. draw a blank to get no result. draw the line to fix a limit, eg on one's actions or tolerance.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon dragan.
draw back to retreat; to recoil. draw back from something to refuse to become involved in it; to avoid commitment. draw in said of nights: to start earlier, making days shorter. draw on something to make use of assets from a fund or source • draw on reserves of energy. draw someone out to encourage them to be less shy or reserved. draw something out to make it last a long time or longer than necessary. draw up to come to a halt. draw oneself up to lift oneself into an upright position; to straighten up. draw something up to plan and write (a contract or other document). |
draw verb (past tense drew , past participle drawn, present participle drawing) 1 tr & intr to make a picture of something or someone, especially with a pencil. 2 to pull out, take out or extract something • draw water from a well • with swords drawn. 3 intrans to move or proceed steadily in a specified direction • draw nearer. 4 to pull someone along or into a particular position • drawing her closer to him. 5 to open or close (curtains). 6 to attract (eg attention or criticism). 7 tr & intr (also draw with someone) to end a game with neither side winning; to finish on equal terms with an opponent. 8 to choose or be given as the result of random selection. 9 to arrive at or infer (a conclusion). 10 a) intrans (also draw on (a cigarette)) to suck air (through a cigarette); b said of a chimney: to make air flow through a fire, allowing burning. 11 technical said of a ship: to require (a certain depth of water) to float. 12 intrans said of tea: to brew or infuse. 13 to disembowel • hanged, drawn and quartered. 14 to write (a cheque). 15 golf to hit (the ball) too much to the left if right-handed, or too much to the right if left-handed. 16 bowls a to deliver (a bowl) so that it moves in a curve to the point aimed for; b intrans to move in a curve to the point aimed for. 17 bridge to force one's opponents to play (all their cards of a suit, especially trumps) by continually leading cards of that suit. 18 billiards, etc to hit (the cue ball) so that it recoils after striking another ball. noun 1 a result in which neither side is the winner; a tie. 2 a the making of a random selection, eg of the winners of a competition; b a competition with winners chosen at random. 3 the potential to attract many people, or a person or thing having this. 4 the act of drawing a gun. be drawn on something to be persuaded to talk or give information • He refused to be drawn on his plans. draw a blank to get no result. draw the line to fix a limit, eg on one's actions or tolerance.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon dragan.
draw back to retreat; to recoil. draw back from something to refuse to become involved in it; to avoid commitment. draw in said of nights: to start earlier, making days shorter. draw on something to make use of assets from a fund or source • draw on reserves of energy. draw someone out to encourage them to be less shy or reserved. draw something out to make it last a long time or longer than necessary. draw up to come to a halt. draw oneself up to lift oneself into an upright position; to straighten up. draw something up to plan and write (a contract or other document). |
draw verb (past tense drew , past participle drawn, present participle drawing) 1 tr & intr to make a picture of something or someone, especially with a pencil. 2 to pull out, take out or extract something • draw water from a well • with swords drawn. 3 intrans to move or proceed steadily in a specified direction • draw nearer. 4 to pull someone along or into a particular position • drawing her closer to him. 5 to open or close (curtains). 6 to attract (eg attention or criticism). 7 tr & intr (also draw with someone) to end a game with neither side winning; to finish on equal terms with an opponent. 8 to choose or be given as the result of random selection. 9 to arrive at or infer (a conclusion). 10 a) intrans (also draw on (a cigarette)) to suck air (through a cigarette); b said of a chimney: to make air flow through a fire, allowing burning. 11 technical said of a ship: to require (a certain depth of water) to float. 12 intrans said of tea: to brew or infuse. 13 to disembowel • hanged, drawn and quartered. 14 to write (a cheque). 15 golf to hit (the ball) too much to the left if right-handed, or too much to the right if left-handed. 16 bowls a to deliver (a bowl) so that it moves in a curve to the point aimed for; b intrans to move in a curve to the point aimed for. 17 bridge to force one's opponents to play (all their cards of a suit, especially trumps) by continually leading cards of that suit. 18 billiards, etc to hit (the cue ball) so that it recoils after striking another ball. noun 1 a result in which neither side is the winner; a tie. 2 a the making of a random selection, eg of the winners of a competition; b a competition with winners chosen at random. 3 the potential to attract many people, or a person or thing having this. 4 the act of drawing a gun. be drawn on something to be persuaded to talk or give information • He refused to be drawn on his plans. draw a blank to get no result. draw the line to fix a limit, eg on one's actions or tolerance.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon dragan.
draw back to retreat; to recoil. draw back from something to refuse to become involved in it; to avoid commitment. draw in said of nights: to start earlier, making days shorter. draw on something to make use of assets from a fund or source • draw on reserves of energy. draw someone out to encourage them to be less shy or reserved. draw something out to make it last a long time or longer than necessary. draw up to come to a halt. draw oneself up to lift oneself into an upright position; to straighten up. draw something up to plan and write (a contract or other document). |
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
“Chambers is the one I keep at my right hand”- Philip Pullman.
The unrivalled dictionary for word lovers, now in its 13th edition.
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The Chambers Thesaurus
The Chambers Thesaurus (4th Edition) is a veritable treasure-trove, including the greatest selection of alternative words and phrases available in an A to Z format. -
Chambers Biographical Dictionary
“Simply all you need to know about anyone” – Fay Weldon.
Thoroughly revised and updated for its 9th edition.
Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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