drawer
B1Neutral (for furniture); Formal (for financial instrument). Colloquial/informal for underwear.
Definition
Meaning
A sliding compartment in a piece of furniture (e.g., a desk, cabinet), used for storage.
A person or entity that draws something (e.g., a cheque, a weapon, a picture). Can also refer to underpants or knickers in informal British English (colloquial).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is polysemous, with the primary meaning being the furniture item. The 'person who draws' sense is formal, typically found in legal/financial contexts. The underwear sense is dated/informal British slang.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Pronounciation is the main difference. In RP British English, it is /drɔː(r)/ (homophone with 'draw'). In General American, it is /ˈdrɔː.ɚ/ (one syllable with /ɚ/). The 'underwear' meaning is almost exclusively British colloquial. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
The financial 'drawer' is neutral. The furniture 'drawer' is neutral. The British slang for 'underwear' is informal, slightly dated, and can be humorous.
Frequency
The furniture sense is extremely frequent in both. The 'person who draws' sense is low-frequency. The underwear sense is low-frequency and declining.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
put [object] in/into a drawertake [object] out of a drawerlook for [object] in a drawerpull open/push shut a drawerthe drawer is stuck/jammedVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Top-drawer (adj., of excellent quality)”
- “Not the sharpest knife in the drawer (euphemism for unintelligent)”
- “Bottom drawer (dated, refers to items collected by a woman in anticipation of marriage)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the person who signs a cheque or draft (e.g., 'The drawer of the cheque is liable').
Academic
Used in art history or design contexts for furniture components (e.g., 'The bureau's drawers featured intricate marquetry').
Everyday
Overwhelmingly refers to the storage compartment in furniture (e.g., 'My socks are in the top drawer').
Technical
Can refer to a part of a CAD software interface or a mechanical sliding component.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- top-drawer performance
American English
- top-drawer quality
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please put the spoons in the kitchen drawer.
- My T-shirts are in the second drawer.
- I couldn't find my passport; I searched every drawer in the desk.
- She keeps her jewellery in a locked drawer.
- The antique chest of drawers was a valuable heirloom.
- As the drawer of the cheque, you are responsible for ensuring sufficient funds.
- The architect designed the cabinets with soft-close drawers for a seamless look.
- The legal liability of the drawer versus the drawee was contested in court.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A DRAWER is something you DRAW open and closed.
Conceptual Metaphor
STORAGE IS A CONTAINER; A PERSON IS AN AGENT OF CREATION (for the financial/artistic sense).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'draw' (рисовать). 'Drawer' (мебель) is 'ящик', not 'художник' (which is an artist/draughtsman). The pronunciation trap: Russian speakers may mispronounce it as /ˈdrɔː.wə/ or /drɔːˈer/.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as /ˈdrɔː.wə/ (three syllables). Spelling it as 'draw'. Using 'drawers' as singular ('a drawers').
Practice
Quiz
In which of these contexts is the word 'drawer' LEAST likely to refer to a piece of furniture?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English (RP), yes, they are homophones (/drɔː/). In American English, 'drawer' has two syllables /ˈdrɔː.ɚ/, while 'draw' is one syllable /drɔː/.
It is a piece of furniture (a tall, upright cabinet) consisting of multiple stacked drawers, typically used for storing clothes.
In finance, the 'drawer' is the person/entity who writes/signs a cheque or bill, ordering payment. The 'drawee' (usually a bank) is the party ordered to pay the money.
No, it is incorrect. 'Drawers' is the plural form. The singular is 'drawer' (e.g., one drawer, two drawers).