drawer

IPA/drɔːr/
KK[drˈɔr]IPA/drɔːr/

drawer — noun

  • drawersingular
  • drawersplural

1. a box-shaped storage area on runners that pulls outward from desks, dressers, cu

1.nounA2
Definition

a box-shaped storage area on runners that pulls outward from desks, dressers, cupboards, or similar household items, used for storing clothes, documents, or other belongings.

Example

Bilal found his passport in the top drawer of his desk.

collocation: top / bottom / middle drawer

The kitchen drawer was full of spoons and other utensils that nobody used.

prepositional phrase: 'in a drawer'

Common collocations
  • desk drawer
  • kitchen drawer
  • top drawer
  • bottom drawer
  • chest of drawers
  • pull a drawer open
  • slide a drawer shut
  • drawer full of
Synonyms
  • compartment

    a general term for any separate section in a container, not specific to sliding furniture parts

  • till

    British term for a drawer in a cash register or shop counter where money is kept

Grammar Patterns

drawer + of + noun

adjective + drawer

Usage Note

In everyday speech this sense is commonly pronounced as one syllable (/drɔːr/ in British English, /drɔr/ in American English), unlike the agent-noun senses (3 and 4), which are pronounced with two syllables (/ˈdrɔː.ər/).

Common Mistakes

He pulled the cupboard door open and took out a shirt from the drawer.
He opened the cupboard door and took out a shirt from the drawer.
A drawer slides out; a door swings open on hinges. Learners sometimes use 'open the drawer' when they mean 'pull the drawer out.'

2. a piece of underwear covering the lower part of the body from the waist to the t

2.nounB1
Definition

a piece of underwear covering the lower part of the body from the waist to the top of the legs, typically worn by women or men in older styles of clothing.

Example

The old trunk contained linen sheets and cotton drawers from the 1800s.

historical register: 1800s clothing

Valentina bought three new pairs of cotton drawers at the antique market.

collocation: pair of drawers

Common collocations
  • pair of drawers
  • cotton drawers
  • linen drawers
  • silk drawers
Synonyms
  • underpants

    modern and neutral term for lower-body underwear worn by men and women

  • knickers

    British term for women's lower-body underwear, still in common use

  • pants

    UK term for underwear; in the US this means trousers

Grammar Patterns

pair of drawers

plural form: drawers

Usage Note

This sense is now considered old-fashioned. In modern English, words like 'underpants,' 'pants' (UK), 'underwear,' or 'knickers' are more common. 'Drawers' in this meaning appears mostly in historical writing, costume descriptions, or vintage contexts.

Common Mistakes

I need to buy some new drawers at the department store.
I need to buy some new underwear at the department store.
Using 'drawers' for modern underwear sounds old-fashioned and may confuse the listener.

3. a person who creates drawings, sketches, or designs, either as a professional sk

3.nounB2
Definition

a person who creates drawings, sketches, or designs, either as a professional skill or a hobby.

Example

Dahlia works as a technical drawer for an architecture company in Taipei.

collocation: technical drawer

The studio is looking for a skilled drawer to produce product sketches.

collocation: skilled drawer

Common collocations
  • skilled drawer
  • technical drawer
  • talented drawer
  • trained as a drawer
Synonyms
  • draftsman

    US spelling; specifically refers to someone who makes detailed technical drawings or plans

  • draughtsman

    UK spelling; the same role as draftsman, often in engineering or architecture

  • illustrator

    focuses on creating pictures for books, magazines, or digital media, usually more artistic than technical

  • sketcher

    someone who makes quick, rough drawings, often as preparation for more finished work

Grammar Patterns

skilled drawer

technical drawer

talented drawer

Usage Note

In British English the alternative spelling 'draughtsman' (masculine) or 'draughtswoman' (feminine) is common, especially in technical and architectural contexts. In American English 'draftsman' is more frequent.

Common Mistakes

She is a drawer in the architecture firm.' (ambiguous — could mean furniture drawer)
She works as a technical drawer in the architecture firm.
Adding 'technical' or specifying the context makes the meaning clear.

4. an individual who signs a cheque, bank draft, or similar financial instrument, t

4.nounC1
Definition

an individual who signs a cheque, bank draft, or similar financial instrument, thereby directing a bank to transfer a stated amount of money to another party.

Example

The bank requires the drawer of the cheque to provide proof of identity.

financial term: 'the drawer of the cheque'

Kemi signed the bank draft as the drawer, authorising payment to the supplier.

Common collocations
  • drawer of the cheque
  • drawer of the draft
  • the drawer signs
  • the drawer authorises
Synonyms
  • issuer

    broader term for anyone who issues a financial document or card, not limited to cheques

  • signatory

    a person who signs a document, often used in banking but not specific to cheques

Antonyms
  • drawee

    the bank that is instructed to pay the money from the drawer's account

  • payee

    the person or organisation that receives the money

Grammar Patterns

the drawer of + document

Usage Note

This sense is mostly used in banking and legal contexts. The related terms 'drawee' (the bank that pays) and 'payee' (the person receiving the money) frequently appear alongside 'drawer' in financial documents.

Common Mistakes

The drawer received the money from the cheque.
The drawer wrote the cheque; the payee received the money.
The drawer gives the money; the payee receives it. Confusing drawer with payee is a common error.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

All four words describe people who create visual representations, but they differ in register, specialisation, and medium. A 'draftsman' (American English) or 'draughtsman' (British English) is primarily a technical role — someone who produces precise mechanical, architectural, or engineering drawings using instruments or computer software. An 'illustrator' works in a more artistic and commercial space, creating images for books, magazines, advertisements, or digital content; the focus is on narrative and visual appeal rather than technical accuracy. A 'sketcher' makes quick, rough drawings, often as studies for more finished works or as an observational practice — the term emphasises speed and spontaneity. 'Drawer' is the most general of the four: it can describe anyone who draws for any purpose, whether professional or casual. For example, you would call an architect's assistant a 'draughtsman,' a children's book creator an 'illustrator,' an artist's warm-up studies a 'sketcher's work,' and a person who draws in a notebook during their commute simply 'a drawer.'

draftsman ↗draughtsman ↗illustrator ↗sketcher ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • chest of drawers
  • desk drawer
  • kitchen drawer
  • filing drawer
  • dresser drawer
  • cash drawer

Phrases

  • top / middle / bottom drawer
  • pull a drawer open
  • slide a drawer shut
  • the back of a drawer

Prepositions

  • in a drawer
  • from a drawer
  • out of a drawer
  • into a drawer

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'drawer' comes from the Middle English 'drawere,' meaning 'one who draws or pulls,' formed from the verb 'drawen' (to draw, pull) plus the agent suffix '-er.' The furniture sense — a container that is 'drawn' (pulled) out — appeared in the 1300s. The clothing sense (underwear) emerged in the 1500s, referring to garments that are 'drawn on' the body. The financial sense (one who draws a cheque) followed in the 1600s as banking developed. All modern senses ultimately trace back to the same Old English root 'dragan' (to drag, pull), via Middle English.