Draw

subs. (popular).—1.  An undecided contest. [An abbreviation of ‘drawn game.’]

  2.  (common).—An attraction; e.g., an article; a popular preacher; a successful play; and so forth.

  1883.  The Saturday Review, 21 April, p. 497, col. 2. The insinuation that umbrellas are the creation of the devil to tempt otherwise honest men … is an unfailing DRAW, whether in a comic paper or an after-dinner speech.

  3.  (cricket).—A stroke with the surface of the bat inclined to the ground.

  Verb (common).—1.  To attract public attention.—See subs., sense 2.

  1883.  HAWLEY SMART, At Fault, III., xv., 238. Like a judicious theatrical manager, he usually kept ‘his show’ running as long as it would DRAW.

  2.  (thieves’).—To steal; to pick pockets. TO DRAW A WIPE or TICKER = to prig a handkerchief or watch; TO DRAW A DAMPER = to empty a till.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. TO DRAW a swell of a clout. To pick a gentleman’s pocket of a hankerchief.

  1878.  CHARLES HINDLEY, The Life and Times of James Catnach. ‘The Song of The Young Prig,’ Chorus.

  3.  (common).—To tease into vexation; take in; make game of.

  4.  (colloquial).—To bring out; to cause to act, write, or speak, by flattery, mis-statement, or deceit. Also TO DRAW OUT; Fr., tirer les vers du nez.

  1860.  THACKERAY, The Adventures of Philip, ch. vi. The wags who call upon Mrs. Brandon can always, as the phrase is, ‘DRAW’ her father, by speaking of Prussia, France, Waterloo, or battles in general.

  1883.  GREENWOOD, Tag, Rag, & Co., ‘From London to York.’ The older tramp was in conversation with him, and evidently ‘DRAWING HIM OUT.’

  1889.  Colonies and India, 24 July, p. 11, col. 1. Any libel or unjust criticism on Western Australia is sure to DRAW that sturdy friend of the Colony in London, Mr. Charles Bethell.

  1890.  Pall Mall Gazette, 16 July, p. 4, col. 2. They had the satisfaction last night of seeing him regularly DRAWN by Mr. Morley.

  5.  (colloquial).—To ease of money: e.g., ‘I DREW him for a hundred’; ‘She DREW me for a dollar’!

  6.  (venery).—Cf., DOG-DRAWN (q.v.).

  TO DRAW ON [A MAN], verb. phr. (common and American).—To use a knife.—See BEAD.

  1885.  The Saturday Review, 7 Feb., p. 167. I’ll never DRAW a revolver ON a man again as long as I live.

  TO DRAW A BEAD ON, verb. phr. (common and American).—To attack with rifle or revolver.

  1886.  World, 11 August, p. 12. It is said that twice A BEAD WAS DRAWN UPON him, but fortunately the shots missed.

  TO DRAW A STRAIGHT FURROW, verbal phr. (American).—To live uprightly.

  TO DRAW ONE’S FIREWORKS (or TO DRAW ONE OFF), verb. phr. (venery).—To cool one’s ardour by coition (said of men by women).

  TO DRAW PLASTER, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To ‘fish’ for a man’s intentions.

  TO DRAW STRAWS, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.

  1738.  SWIFT, Polite Conversation (conv. iii). Lady Ans. I’m sure ’tis time for all honest folks to go to bed. Miss. Indeed my eyes DRAW STRAWS (she’s almost asleep) … Col. I’m going to the Land of Nod. Ner. Faith, I’m for Bedfordshire.

  TO DRAW TEETH, verb. phr. (old).—To wrench knockers and handles from street doors.

  TO DRAW THE BADGER.—See BADGER, verb.

  TO DRAW BLANKS, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To fail; to be disappointed. [From drawing a blank in a lottery.]

  TO DRAW THE BOW UP TO THE EAR.—See BOW.

  TO DRAW or PULL THE LONG BOW, verb. phr. (colloquial).—See BOW and quots., infra.

  1849.  THACKERAY, Pendennis, ch. xxx. What is it makes him PULL THE LONG BOW in that wonderful manner?

  1883.  A. DOBSON, Old-World Idylls, ‘To Q. H. F.,’ 134.

  TO DRAW THE CORK, verb. phr. (pugilistic).—To make blood to flow; TO TAP THE CLARET (q.v.).

  1860.  Chambers’s Journal, vol. XIII., p. 348.

  TO DRAW THE KING’S or QUEEN’S PICTURE, verb. phr. (common).—To manufacture counterfeit coins.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.

  TO DRAW WOOL or WORSTED, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To irritate; to foment a quarrel. Cf., COMB ONE’S HAIR.