draw
/drɔː/ (bre, ipa) · /drɔː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdrȯ/ (ame, mw) · /drɑː/ (ame, ipa)
draw — verb
- drawpresent simple I / you / we / they
- drawshe / she / it
- drewpast simple
- drawnpast participle
- drawing-ing form
1. to show a person, animal, or object in a picture by making lines with a writing
to show a person, animal, or object in a picture by making lines with a writing tool like a pencil
The little girl drew a picture of her house with a blue sky above it.
draw + picture of [subject]
Liam drew a map so that his aunt could find the new restaurant.
Mira likes to draw flowers in her notebook during breaks.
The art teacher asked the class to draw a bowl of fruit.
Trang drew a quick sketch of the old bridge by the river.
文法句型
draw + object (picture/sketch/map)
draw + for + someone
用法筆記
This sense is the most common meaning of 'draw'. Unlike 'paint', which uses a brush and liquid colour, 'draw' refers to pencils, pens, chalk, or similar tools.
常見錯誤
2. to make people or animals come toward you, or to cause interest or attention fro
to make people or animals come toward you, or to cause interest or attention from others
The bright lights of the night market draw tourists from all over the city.
draw + [someone] + from + [place]
Meera's passionate speech drew a large crowd to the town square.
The new exhibition at the museum drew over ten thousand visitors in its first week.
Andrés's funny stories always draw laughter from his friends.
文法句型
draw + object (crowd/attention/interest)
draw + object + from/in/to + place
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns like 'crowd', 'audience', 'interest', or 'attention'. The subject is often something visually or emotionally appealing.
常見錯誤
3. to cause someone to look at or notice a particular thing, often by pointing, spe
to cause someone to look at or notice a particular thing, often by pointing, speaking, or making a sound
Haruto knocked on the window to draw my attention to the rainbow outside.
draw + [someone]'s + attention + to + [something]
The teacher drew the students' attention to the diagram on the board.
Élise waved her hand to draw the waiter's attention.
The report drew public attention to the problem of plastic waste in the ocean.
- call attention to
more deliberate and explicit
- highlight
to emphasise or make something stand out
- point out
to draw attention by mentioning directly
- ignore
to deliberately not notice or pay attention
文法句型
draw + [someone]'s + attention + to + [something]
用法筆記
Almost always followed by a possessive (someone's) before 'attention', and often 'to' when specifying the target. Distinguish from sense 2 (ATTRACT): sense 2 means drawing people or interest toward you in general, while this sense means directing someone's focus to a specific thing.
常見錯誤
4. to describe or show how two things are similar or different, especially in a car
to describe or show how two things are similar or different, especially in a careful or formal way
The article draws a comparison between urban life and rural living.
draw a comparison between [X] and [Y]
It is difficult to draw a clear line between helpful advice and unwanted criticism.
Professor Piotr drew a contrast between the two economic systems in his lecture.
Kian tried to draw a distinction between his personal feelings and his professional judgment.
文法句型
draw + a + comparison/contrast/distinction + between + [X] + and + [Y]
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in fixed phrases: 'draw a comparison', 'draw a contrast', 'draw a distinction', or 'draw a line' (meaning to separate). The object is always an abstract noun about similarity or difference.
常見錯誤
5. to examine the available facts or evidence and form an opinion about something
to examine the available facts or evidence and form an opinion about something
From the dark clouds gathering above, Meera drew the conclusion that a storm was coming.
draw a conclusion from [evidence]
The police drew very different conclusions from the same set of facts.
We can draw several important lessons from the mistakes we made last year.
Looking at the test results, Dr. Adaeze drew some useful conclusions about the patient's recovery.
Mathieu drew from his own travel experience when advising the newcomers.
文法句型
draw + a + conclusion/inference/lesson + from + [something]
用法筆記
Commonly followed by 'conclusion', 'inference', or 'lesson'. Unlike sense 4 (COMPARE), this sense involves reasoning from evidence rather than comparing two things.
常見錯誤
6. to go or travel toward a place, often by car, train, or other vehicle
to go or travel toward a place, often by car, train, or other vehicle
The train slowly drew into the station and came to a stop.
draw + into [place]
As the car drew closer, Adaeze could see her friend waving from the window.
draw + closer/nearer
A black taxi drew alongside us and the driver asked if we needed a ride.
The carriage drew up in front of the hotel and the guests stepped out.
文法句型
draw + adverb/preposition (into/up/alongside/away/closer/nearer)
用法筆記
Almost always used with a direction word like 'into', 'up', 'closer', 'nearer', 'alongside', or 'away'. The movement is typically smooth and steady. 'Draw up' specifically means to stop after moving to a position.
常見錯誤
7. to move towards someone or something in space, or for a planned event or time to
to move towards someone or something in space, or for a planned event or time to happen more soon.
As the bus drew closer, Ishaan could see his friend waving from the front seat.
draw closer — approach in space
The final exams are drawing near, and the library is full every evening.
Sari felt her heart race as the finish line drew nearer with every step.
With autumn drawing near, the Watanabe family began preparing for the harvest festival.
文法句型
draw near/closer to someone or something
8. when an event, season, or period of time slowly reaches its end.
when an event, season, or period of time slowly reaches its end.
The conference drew to a close with an emotional speech by the founder.
draw to a close — gradually reach the end
As summer drew to an end, the children packed their bags for school.
The concert was drawing to a close when the singer invited everyone to join in.
Their long conversation drew to an end when the train finally arrived at the station.
文法句型
draw to a close
draw to an end
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'to a close' or 'to an end'. Subject is typically an event, season, or period of time.
常見錯誤
9. to cause a particular reaction or response from an audience, group, or person.
to cause a particular reaction or response from an audience, group, or person.
The comedian's joke drew laughter from the audience at the packed theatre.
draw + laughter/criticism/applause — provoke a reaction
The mayor's decision to close the park drew strong criticism from local residents.
Her brave rescue of the child drew praise from newspapers across the country.
The new art exhibition drew mixed reactions from the critics who attended the opening.
His speech drew loud applause from the crowd gathered in the town square.
- suppress
to prevent a reaction from happening
文法句型
draw + noun (reaction/response)
用法筆記
The object is typically a reaction noun: laughter, applause, criticism, praise, attention. Subject is usually an action, event, or statement.
常見錯誤
10. to guide something with a smooth pulling motion along a specific path — like run
to guide something with a smooth pulling motion along a specific path — like running a comb through hair or tracing a line on a surface.
Élise drew a comb through her long dark hair before leaving for the party.
draw + object + through/across — move something smoothly
The teacher drew a finger across the map to show where the river ran.
He drew the rope slowly through his hands until the small boat touched the dock.
Vikram drew a clean cloth over the table to protect it from dust.
文法句型
draw + object + adverb/preposition (across, through, over)
用法筆記
Always takes an adverb or preposition phrase indicating direction. Cannot stand alone without a directional complement.
11. to close or open curtains or blinds by pulling them across a window opening.
to close or open curtains or blinds by pulling them across a window opening.
Every evening the nurse drew the curtains in the patients' rooms before dinner.
draw + curtains/blinds — open or close them
Lisa drew the blinds to block out the bright afternoon sunlight from the living room.
The teacher asked her to draw the curtains before turning on the classroom projector.
The old man drew the thick curtains and sat by the warm fireplace to read.
文法句型
draw + curtains/blinds/shades
用法筆記
Context determines whether the curtains are being opened or closed — 'draw the curtains' alone is ambiguous. Add 'open' or 'shut' to clarify: 'draw the curtains open/shut'.
常見錯誤
12. to pick a card, ticket, or number by chance, without seeing it in advance, espec
to pick a card, ticket, or number by chance, without seeing it in advance, especially in a game, competition, or decision-making process.
Tariq drew a card from the pile and placed it face up on the table.
draw a card — select by chance in a game
The winner is chosen by drawing a name at random from a box of entries.
Abigail drew the lucky number seven in the school raffle and won a new bicycle.
The children drew straws to decide who would have to wash the dishes after dinner.
Each player draws three cards, and the one with the highest total wins the round.
文法句型
draw + card/ticket/straw/name
draw for something
draw lots
13. to remove an item, particularly a firearm or a blade, from a holster, pocket, or
to remove an item, particularly a firearm or a blade, from a holster, pocket, or other place where it is stored
The police officer drew her gun when she heard glass breaking inside the shop.
draw + weapon in an emergency situation
Nikos drew a small notebook from his jacket pocket and wrote down the address.
draw + noun (non-weapon object) from + place
The old soldier drew a photograph from his wallet and showed it to the children.
Without warning, a tall stranger drew a knife from his belt and stepped forward.
文法句型
draw + noun + from + noun/pronoun
常見錯誤
14. to make a liquid, most often blood, flow from a wound or out of someone's body t
to make a liquid, most often blood, flow from a wound or out of someone's body through a cut or a needle hole
The nurse drew a small amount of blood from Lan's arm for the medical test.
draw blood for medical testing
A thorn on the rose bush drew blood from Padma's finger.
The doctor used a thin needle to draw fluid from Christopher's swollen knee.
The wound on Soraya's arm was deep enough to draw blood within seconds.
- extract
more clinical and technical; used in medical and scientific writing
- withdraw
suggests careful removal; common in medical reports
- cause to flow
descriptive rather than a synonym; explains the action
文法句型
draw + liquid (especially blood)
draw + noun + from + body part
用法筆記
Frequently used in medical contexts for taking blood samples (draw blood) or removing fluid from a body cavity.
15. to obtain a feeling, idea, or advantage from a person, an experience, or a situa
to obtain a feeling, idea, or advantage from a person, an experience, or a situation
Noor drew great comfort from her grandmother's wise words during the difficult time.
draw comfort from + person/words
The writer drew inspiration for her novel from her travels across South America.
Brooke drew confidence from the warm applause of the audience after her speech.
What important lesson can we draw from the mistakes of the past?
文法句型
draw + abstract noun (comfort/inspiration/lesson) + from + noun/pronoun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person. The verb is often used with abstract nouns like comfort, inspiration, strength, confidence, lesson, or support as the object.
常見錯誤
16. to take air, smoke, or vapour into your lungs through your mouth or nose
to take air, smoke, or vapour into your lungs through your mouth or nose
Eitan drew a deep breath before jumping into the cold water.
draw a deep breath (common collocation for inhaling sharply)
Nellie drew on her cigarette and watched the smoke rise into the evening air.
draw on + cigarette (intransitive with preposition)
The hikers stopped at the summit to draw the fresh mountain air into their lungs.
Christopher drew a long, slow breath to calm his racing heart before the interview.
- breathe in
more general and neutral; less vivid than draw
- inhale
technical or medical term; can sound formal in everyday speech
- take in
informal and general; emphasises the act of receiving air
- exhale
to breathe air out of the lungs
文法句型
draw + breath/air/smoke
draw on + cigarette/pipe
用法筆記
The pattern 'draw on + cigarette/pipe' is intransitive (no direct object). The pattern 'draw + breath/air' is transitive. 'Draw breath' is a fixed expression meaning 'to breathe in'.
常見錯誤
17. to end a match having scored an equal total as the other team or player, so that
to end a match having scored an equal total as the other team or player, so that neither side is declared the winner
The two teams drew two goals each in the championship final.
draw + score (specifying result)
Nikos's team drew with the league leaders in a thrilling match that ended 3–3.
draw with + opponent
Japan drew with Brazil in the opening game of the World Cup tournament.
After six hours of play, the chess grandmaster managed to draw with the young challenger.
- tie
the usual American English equivalent; also used internationally in some sports
- finish level
descriptive phrase rather than a synonym; helpful for learners
文法句型
draw (with + team/player)
draw + score (e.g. draw 2–2)
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, the verb 'tie' is more common for this meaning. Frequently followed by 'with' plus the opponent's name.
常見錯誤
18. to obtain cash or funds by making a withdrawal from a savings or checking accoun
to obtain cash or funds by making a withdrawal from a savings or checking account at a bank
Constanza went to the bank to draw cash for her weekend trip to the mountains.
draw cash from a bank
Lien drew five hundred dollars from her savings account to pay for the car repair.
draw + amount + from + account
You can draw money from any ATM with this card, even when you are abroad.
The company drew funds from its reserve account to cover emergency costs after the flood.
文法句型
draw + money + from + account/bank
用法筆記
Common in British and international English. In American English, 'withdraw' is more frequent than 'draw' in this financial sense. Used with the preposition 'from' to indicate the source account.
常見錯誤
19. to receive money on a regular basis from a job, the government, or another sourc
to receive money on a regular basis from a job, the government, or another source — for example, an employee drawing a monthly salary, or a retired person drawing a pension.
Feng draws a monthly salary from the hospital where he works as a nurse.
draw + salary for employment income
After retiring at sixty, Aylin draws a government pension every month.
draw + pension for retirement income
Many students draw money from the government to help pay for their tuition.
Ife draws a steady income from her small online clothing business.
Union members draw a fixed wage that rises with each year of experience.
- pay
to give money rather than receive it
文法句型
draw + salary/wage/pension/benefits
用法筆記
The object is typically a regular payment such as a salary, wage, pension, or benefit. Do not use this sense for withdrawing money from a personal bank account (see sense 18, MONEY — take money from an account).
常見錯誤
20. to describe someone or something in words that produce a vivid mental image in t
to describe someone or something in words that produce a vivid mental image in the listener's or reader's mind — for example, a journalist drawing a detailed picture of life in a war zone.
The journalist drew a vivid picture of daily life in the mountain village.
draw + picture for vivid description
In her letter, Élise draws a detailed portrait of her morning routine in Kyoto.
draw + portrait of routine
The witness drew a clear image of the man she saw leaving the bank.
Otis drew a heartbreaking account of his family's struggle during the drought.
The novelist draws a sharp contrast between city life and country living.
文法句型
draw + picture/portrait/image/account (figurative)
用法筆記
Commonly paired with nouns such as 'picture', 'portrait', 'image', 'account', or 'contrast' in a figurative, not literal, sense. The writer or speaker is the subject.
常見錯誤
21. to pull a fluid substance — such as water, oil, air, or smoke — out of a contain
to pull a fluid substance — such as water, oil, air, or smoke — out of a contained space like a well, pipe, or building.
Every morning the workers draw water from the well for the whole village.
draw + water from well for extraction
This machine draws stale air from the kitchen to keep the room cool.
draw + air from room for ventilation
Farmers in the region draw oil from deep wells under their land.
The pump draws water from the river to irrigate the rice fields nearby.
Firefighters used large fans to draw the smoke from the burning building.
文法句型
draw + liquid/gas + from + source
用法筆記
The source is typically a well, pipe, container, or enclosed space. Do not use this sense for taking blood from a body (see sense 14, TAKE OUT — draw blood from a person).
常見錯誤
draw — noun
- drawsingular
- drawsplural
1. a person, place, event, or thing that many people want to see or experience, mak
a person, place, event, or thing that many people want to see or experience, making it a popular destination or activity
The pandas at Taipei Zoo are always a big draw for visiting families.
collocation: big draw
Salma said the free art class was the main draw of the festival.
collocation: main draw
The old lighthouse remains a popular draw along the coastal walking path.
With its live music every night, the market became a huge draw for young people.
Christopher explained that the science museum was the biggest draw in the city.
- attraction
more general; 'draw' emphasises pulling power or crowd appeal
- magnet
more informal and metaphorical, often used for places that pull in crowds
- crowd-puller
informal British English, specifically about events or performers
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives like big, main, huge, or popular to describe what makes something attractive.
常見錯誤
2. the result of a game or match in which both sides have the same number of points
the result of a game or match in which both sides have the same number of points, so neither team or player wins
The match ended in a draw after both teams scored two goals each.
preposition pattern: end in a draw
A draw was a fair result because neither side played better than the other.
The chess game finished in a draw when neither player could force a win.
Jenna's team needed a win, but a draw was enough to reach the final.
The final score of 2–2 meant the game was a draw and went into overtime.
用法筆記
Commonly used with verbs like end, finish, or result (all followed by 'in a draw'). In American English, 'tie' is more common for this meaning.
常見錯誤
3. an event or competition in which a prize is given to a person whose ticket or nu
an event or competition in which a prize is given to a person whose ticket or number is chosen at random from all the tickets or numbers that have been sold or entered
The school held a draw to decide which student would win the new tablet.
verb collocation: hold a draw
Kwame bought five tickets for the charity draw hoping to win the holiday package.
The winner of the lucky draw received a new laptop and a gift card.
Faisal stood at the door selling tickets for the raffle draw after the show.
Anong's name was called out during the draw, and she jumped up with joy.
- raffle
more specific — a raffle usually involves selling tickets; 'draw' is a broader term
- lottery
usually government-run and based on number matching, not necessarily an event
- sweepstake
a type of draw where prize money comes from participants' contributions
用法筆記
Often used in compounds like 'raffle draw' or 'lucky draw'. In British English, 'draw' alone often refers to a lottery-style event. The tickets or numbers are typically sold to raise money for a cause.
4. a process in a sports competition where names or numbers are chosen by chance to
a process in a sports competition where names or numbers are chosen by chance to decide which people or teams will face each other, and in what order
The tournament draw placed the top player in the easier half of the bracket.
collocation: tournament draw
Fans gathered in the hall to watch the draw for the World Cup groups.
preposition: draw for + event
Ilan hoped the draw would not put his team against the strongest opponents.
After the draw was completed, everyone knew who would play whom in the first round.
Ziad watched the live broadcast of the draw on his phone during lunch.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (RAFFLE): this sense is about deciding match-ups in a sports tournament, not about winning a prize. Common in tennis, football, and other tournament sports.
常見錯誤
5. a single act of taking cigarette smoke or pipe smoke into the mouth or lungs
a single act of taking cigarette smoke or pipe smoke into the mouth or lungs
After the meeting, Nicholas stepped outside for a quiet draw on his cigarette.
preposition: draw on + cigarette/pipe
The old man took a long draw from his pipe and blew smoke out.
preposition: draw from + pipe
Élise watched the thin line of smoke rise after each slow draw on her cigarette.
The actor took a short draw from the cigarette and put it out.
用法筆記
Almost always used with a preposition (on or from) followed by a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. The phrase 'take a draw' is the most common verb collocation.
6. the quick action of pulling a gun out of its container or holder so that it is r
the quick action of pulling a gun out of its container or holder so that it is ready to be fired
The cowboy's draw was so fast that nobody saw him reach for his gun.
possessive: X's draw
In old Western films, a quick draw often decides the winner of a duel.
adjective: quick draw
Sora practiced his draw every morning until the motion felt completely natural.
The officer's draw of his weapon was clearly captured on the security camera footage.
- unholstering
more formal and technical; 'draw' is the everyday term
- holstering
the opposite action — putting the gun away
用法筆記
Most common in the context of Western films, cowboy culture, or police training. The compound 'quick draw' is the most frequent use — it describes the speed of the action.