draw away

draw away

1. To move away from someone or something. I hugged my parents for as long as I could before the train whistle blew and we drew away from each other. As soon as I heard the buzzing bees, I drew away from the flowers. We shared several kisses, then drew away to go our separate ways to class.

2. To move someone or something away from someone or something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "draw" and "away." I drew my toddler away from the cat when I saw how vigorously she was petting it. We were all relieved when the obnoxious man's friends drew him away from us. I drew the gauze away from the patient's wound to check how it was healing.

3. To pass one's fellow competitors, as in a race. I knew I had a chance to win the race when I drew away from the fastest girl in the heat. That horse took off like a shot and drew away from all of the others. None of us had a chance once Mona drew away from us on that final straightaway.

4. To take the focus of a situation away from someone or something else. I can't believe my own sister got engaged a week before my wedding, totally drawing the attention away from me! Let's tell them our good news later. I don't want to draw the focus away from your brother on his graduation day. Come on, you don't show up to a birthday party in a minidress like that unless you want to draw attention away from the birthday girl.

See also: away, draw

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

draw (some kind of attention) away

(from someone or something ) to capture attention or praise due to someone or something. Her sterling performance drew attention away from the big star in one of the other roles. She drew away too much notice by her late arrival at the party.

See also: away, draw

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

draw away

1. Pull off or back, as in He drew his chair away from the fire.

2. Move ahead of competitors, as in On the last lap Jim drew away from the other runners.

See also: away, draw

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

draw away

v.

1. To pull something away: I drew the dogs away from the creek. The babysitter drew away the children from the stranger.

2. To pull back from someone or something: The jury drew away from the bloody photograph. The man reached toward us, but we drew away.

3. To move ahead of competitors, as in a race: In the last lap, the leader drew away from the pack.

4. To lure or attract something away from someone or something: Her speech drew attention away from the honoree. The national election drew away interest in our local news.

See also: away, draw

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.