```html Language Focus: Draw
Language Focus

Draw

Three main meanings of "draw" — from creating pictures to selecting items to extracting something.

Definitions

Meaning Definition Examples
draw (1) To make a picture or diagram using a pen, pencil, or other tool draw a picture, draw a map, draw a diagram
draw (2) To pull, extract, or take something out draw water from a well, draw a card, draw a conclusion
draw (3) To attract or pull someone's attention draw a crowd, draw attention, draw criticism

Grammar Patterns

Pattern Example
subject + drew + object (picture) She drew a beautiful landscape.
subject + drew + object + from + source He drew water from the well.
subject + draws + attention/crowds The festival draws thousands of visitors each year.
subject + drew on + experience/knowledge She drew on her years of experience to solve the problem.
subject + drew + a conclusion The detective drew the wrong conclusion.

Example Sentences

Meaning 1: To make a picture or diagram
  1. 1. The children drew pictures of their families in art class.
  2. 2. Can you draw me a quick map to your house?
  3. 3. He drew a diagram on the whiteboard to explain the concept.
  4. 4. She loves to draw — she has sketchbooks full of portraits.
Meaning 2: To pull, extract, or select
  1. 5. The waiter drew the cork from the bottle of wine.
  2. 6. In the card game, each player draws five cards from the deck.
  3. 7. People used to draw water from the village well every morning.
  4. 8. The doctor needs to draw blood for the test.
Meaning 3: To attract or pull attention
  1. 9. The street performer drew a large crowd in the square.
  2. 10. Her speech drew criticism from several members of parliament.
  3. 11. The new restaurant is drawing customers from all over the city.
  4. 12. The scandal drew unwanted attention to the company.
Drawing on resources/experience
  1. 13. When writing her novel, she drew on her childhood memories.
  2. 14. The team drew on their previous experience to handle the crisis.
  3. 15. He drew on his savings to pay for the repairs.
  4. 16. The politician drew on historical examples to support her argument.

Collocations & Common Combinations

Meaning 1 — Pictures & diagrams
draw + a picture, a map, a diagram, a sketch, a portrait, a line
  • The architect drew a detailed plan of the building.
Meaning 2 — Extracting/selecting
draw + water, blood, a card, a conclusion, a breath, the curtains
  • She drew the curtains to block out the sunlight.
  • After considering all the evidence, they drew a conclusion.
Meaning 3 — Attracting
draw + attention, a crowd, criticism, support, interest, fire (= attract attack)
  • The controversial policy drew fire from opposition parties.
Drawing on resources
draw on + experience, knowledge, savings, resources, memories
  • He drew on his military training during the emergency.
🔹 "Draw Something Out"

The phrasal verb draw something out has four common meanings:

1. To lure someone/animal from hiding
  1. The police tried to draw out the bank robber by offering a him special deal.
  2. I used a piece of cheese to draw the mouse out of its hole.
  3. They placed rabbit decoys near its den to draw the fox out into the open.
2. To encourage someone to talk more or reveal something
  1. She's very shy, but the interviewer managed to draw her out with gentle questions.
  2. It took hours to draw out the full story from the witness.
  3. The therapist helped draw out feelings he'd been keeping inside.
3. To extract or pull something out physically
  1. The dentist drew out the infected tooth.
  2. He drew out a small notebook from his pocket.
  3. She carefully drew out the splinter with a pair of tweezers.
4. To make something last longer (often unnecessarily)
  1. The meeting was supposed to finish at noon, but questions from the audience drew it out until 2pm.
  2. He tends to draw out his explanations — he could say it in half the time.
  3. The negotiations were drawn out over several months.

Summary

Draw carries the core idea of pulling something — whether it's a line on paper, water from a well, or attention from a crowd. The word appears in many fixed expressions: you draw a conclusion (reach it), draw on experience (use it), or draw out a conversation (make it longer). The physical action of drawing a picture is just one meaning among many.

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