Related words and phrases
Idioms
at daggers drawn(British English)if two people are at daggers drawn, they are very angry with each other
the battle lines are drawnused to say that people or groups have shown which side they intend to support in an argument or contest that is going to begin
draw/get a bead on somebody/something(especially North American English)to aim carefully at somebody/something before shooting a gun
One of the police officers drew a bead on the gunman and fired. draw a blankto get no response or result
So far, the police investigation has drawn a blank. draw breathto stop doing something and rest
She talks all the time and hardly stops to draw breath.He spoke solidly for twenty minutes, barely pausing to draw breath.(literary)to live; to be alive
He was as kind a man as ever drew breath. draw somebody’s fireto make somebody direct their anger, criticism, etc. at you, so that others do not have to face it
draw/pull your horns into start being more careful in your behaviour, especially by spending less money than before
Small businesses have had to pull their horns in during the recession. draw the line (at something/at doing something)to refuse to do something; to set a limit
I don't mind helping, but I draw the line at doing everything myself.We would have liked to invite all our relatives, but you have to draw the line somewhere. draw the line (between something and something)to make a difference between two closely related ideas
Where do you draw the line between genius and madness? draw a line under something(British English)to say that something is finished and not worth discussing any more
draw/cast lots (for something/to do something)to use a method of choosing somebody/something that involves putting a number folded pieces of paper in a bag, one of them with a mark on it. People then take it in turns to take a piece of paper from the bag and the one who takes the paper with the mark on it is chosen.
They drew lots for the right to go first. draw the short strawto be the person in a group who is chosen or forced to perform an unpleasant duty or task
I drew the short straw and had to clean the toilets. draw straws (for something)to use a method of choosing somebody to do or have something in which each person takes a piece of paper, etc. from a container and the one whose paper has a special mark is chosen
We drew straws for who went first. draw yourself up/rise to your full heightto stand straight and tall in order to show that you are determined, powerful or important
He drew himself up to his full height and glared at us. (draw) a line in the sand(to establish) a clear limit to what you will do or accept
It’s time to draw a line in the sand and stop allowing workplace bullying to continue. take/draw somebody to one sideto speak to somebody in private, especially in order to warn or tell them about something