Meaning & use
draw
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To make a picture or diagram with a pencil, pen or similar tool.
Grammar: With an object: draw a map. Without one: she draws well.
Patterns
- draw something
- draw something on something
- draw a picture of something
She likes to draw cartoon animals on the margins of her notebook.
The architect drew a quick plan of the new kitchen.
He can't draw, but he does his best.
verbtransitive
To pull something toward you, along or out of a place.
Grammar: Usually takes an object and a direction: draw the curtains, draw water from a well.
Patterns
- draw something from something
- draw something toward something
He drew the curtains and the room went dark.
The villagers drew water from a well behind the church.
She drew a card from the top of the pile.
verbtransitive
To attract people or attention to something.
Grammar: The subject is the thing that attracts: the festival draws large crowds.
Patterns
- draw someone to something
- draw attention to something
The new exhibit draws thousands of visitors each week.
Her speech drew applause from everyone in the hall.
The loud noise drew our attention to the window.
verbtransitive
To reach a conclusion or comparison from facts or information.
Grammar: Used with nouns like conclusion, comparison or lesson: draw a conclusion.
Patterns
- draw a conclusion from something
- draw a comparison between things
It is too early to draw any conclusions from the results.
The writer draws a comparison between the two cities.
We can draw an important lesson from that failure.
verbintransitiveBritish
To finish a game or contest with the same score for both sides.
Grammar: Often used in sports: the teams drew 1-1, or draw with someone.
Patterns
- draw with someone
- draw 2-2
The home team drew with its rivals after a late equalizer.
They drew 0-0 despite plenty of chances.
nouncountable
A game that ends with neither side winning, or a person or thing that attracts an audience.
Grammar: Refers to a tied result (a goalless draw) or an attraction (a big draw for tourists).
Patterns
- a draw between teams
- a big draw for something
The match ended in a draw after extra time.
The famous chef was the main draw of the food fair.
The lottery draw takes place every Friday night.
Word forms
| third person singular | draws |
|---|---|
| past tense | drew |
| past participle | drawn |
| -ing form | drawing |
Common combinations
- draw a conclusion
- Researchers drew a conclusion from three years of data.
- draw attention to
- The sign draws attention to the nearby cliff.
- draw a crowd
- The street musician drew a crowd every evening.
- draw a line
- Please draw a line under the last answer.
- draw to a close
- The meeting drew to a close at noon.
- draw a blank
- I tried to remember her name but drew a blank.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sketch
- Sketch means to make a quick, rough drawing, while draw can describe careful, finished work.
- attract
- Attract is the general word for pulling in interest, while draw feels more physical and often goes with crowds or attention.
- pull
- Pull is the plain action of moving something toward you, but draw sounds smoother and more formal.
- tie
- Tie is the common American way to say a game ended level, while draw is standard British usage.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: draw or drawer?
draw vs drawer
Drawer, a sliding storage box, has a different pronunciation from draw in most speech, and draw is the action of making a picture.
Practice
After studying the figures, the committee ______ the conclusion that sales had fallen.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs the simple past, and drew is the past tense of draw. Drawn is the past participle and needs an auxiliary.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “draw”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.