draw (redirected from drawing on)

be quick on the draw

to be fast at understanding or reacting to a situation. He was quick on the draw answering the reporter's questions.

See also: quick

be slow on the draw (mainly American)

be quick on the draw - to be fast at understanding or reacting to a situation. You're a bit slow on the draw aren't you? Can't you see the joke?

See also: slow

draw a blank

to be unable to get information, think of something, or achieve something. Ask them about the car's performance and you'll draw a blank. We've asked 2000 schools to join the campaign, but so far we've drawn a blank. (= none of them agreed)

See also: blank

draw a line under something

if you draw a line under something, it is finished and you do not think about it again. Let's draw a line under the whole episode and try to continue our work in a more positive frame of mind.

See also: line

draw a veil over something

if you draw a veil over a subject, you do not talk about it any more because it could cause trouble or make someone embarrassed. I think we should draw a veil over this conversation and pretend it never happened.

See also: over, veil

draw blood

to make someone very angry or upset. He always draws blood with his film reviews.

See also: blood

draw (someone's) fire (mainly American)

if something or someone draws fire, they are criticized. The advertisements have drawn fire from anti-smoking campaigners (often + from) His radical approach is expected to draw fire.

See also: fire

draw the line

to think of or treat one thing as different from another. It all depends on your concept of fiction and where you draw the line between fact and fiction. (often + between) So at what point do we consider the foetus a baby? We've got to draw the line somewhere.

See also: line

draw the line at something

if someone says that they draw the line at a particular way of behaving, they mean that they do not do it because they think it is wrong or too extreme. I know I swear a lot but I do draw the line at certain words. I like a beer or two as you know but even I draw the line at sitting in a pub on my own and drinking.

See also: line

draw the short straw (informal)

to be the member of a group who has to do an unpleasant job. Sorry, Jim, you drew the short straw. You're on toilet-cleaning duty.

See also: short, straw

draw/pull in your horns

to act in a more careful way than you did before, especially by spending less money. He'll have to draw in his horns, now that he's lost his job.

See also: horn, pull

draw/take a bead on someone/something (American)

to aim a gun at someone or something. He drew a bead on the last truck in line and fired at the fuel tank.

See also: take

the luck of the draw

if something is the luck of the draw, it is the result of chance and you have no control over it. You can't choose who you play against. It's just the luck of the draw.

See also: luck

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draw a blank

1. to be unable to get information. Hoover asked the investigators to find out about Byrne, but they drew a blank.

2. to forget something. When Phil asked Lee which airline they were flying on, Lee drew a blank.

See also: blank

draw a line in the sand

to say that a particular idea or activity will not be supported or accepted. The president has drawn a line in the sand, which means that if the foreign troops are not removed, they will be attacked.

Etymology: based on the idea of literally making a mark in sand to show someone they cannot move across it

See also: line, sand

draw a veil over something

1. to hide something. Dense fog drew a veil over the landscape.

2. to avoid talking about something. I think we should draw a veil over this conversation and pretend it never happened.

keep (something) under wraps

See also: over, veil

draw (the) battle lines

to clearly show the differences between two ideas or opinions. Churches generally draw battle lines over moral issues.

Usage notes: often used in the form the battle lines are drawn: The battle lines are being drawn between many patients and their health-care providers.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of battle lines (= the positions of two armies prepared to fight)

See also: battle, line

draw blood

to make someone very angry or upset. He always draws blood with his film reviews.

See also: blood

draw fire

to attract criticism. The advertisements have drawn fire from parents' groups.

See also: fire

draw on something

to get ideas or facts from something. The second half of the book draws on new discoveries in the field of microbiology.

draw someone/something out

to persuade someone to express their thoughts and feelings. She was good at drawing out young people and getting them to talk about their dreams. She worked hard to draw out all the different opinions people had.

draw something out

1. to make something last longer than is usual or necessary. I can't see any reason to draw the investigation out any longer. She paused to draw out the suspense.

2. to completely explain something. Historians have to draw out, analyze, and judge the importance of the actions of others.

draw the line

to separate one thing from another. It's not clear where this author draws the line between fact and fiction.

See also: line

draw the line at doing something

to decide you will not do something. I love vampires, but I draw the line at attending some silly Dracula convention. Where to draw the line on treatment for people who are dying is a decision made by patients, their families and their doctors.

Usage notes: often used to say you will not do something because you think it is wrong: I'm a loyal employee, but I draw the line when I am asked to do something I think is wrong.

See also: line

draw yourself up

to make yourself stand straight. He drew himself up and stood by the window, thinking over what I had just said.

Usage notes: sometimes draw yourself up to your full height: She drew herself up to her full height and told me why I was wrong.

draw up something

to prepare an agreement or other document in writing. The lawyers drew up a contract over the weekend. After they draw everything up we'll have a chance to read and correct it.

the luck of the draw

completely the result of chance. You can't choose whom you play against. It's just the luck of the draw.

Etymology: based on a literal meaning of a draw (= a competition in which you win if the number on your ticket is chosen)

See also: luck

quick on the draw

able to react quickly to a situation. He was quick on the draw answering the reporter's questions.

Usage notes: sometimes said about a person who reacts too quickly to a situation and makes serious mistakes

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of quick on the draw (= able to take out and shoot a gun quickly)

See also: quick