drew
HighNeutral (used in all registers)
Definition
Meaning
past tense of 'draw': to create a picture or diagram by making lines and marks on a surface with a pen, pencil, etc.
Also the past tense of 'draw' in senses including: to pull something toward oneself; to attract attention; to take or obtain something from a source; to end a contest with no winner.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As the past tense of a highly polysemous verb, its meaning is entirely dependent on the context of the base verb 'draw'. No inherent semantic shift occurs in the past tense form.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
None in meaning or usage of the past tense form itself. Differences lie in the regional vocabulary of the objects drawn or the contexts (e.g., specific sports, games, or tools).
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Identically high frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + drew + Object (He drew a circle)Subject + drew + Object + Prepositional Phrase (She drew money from the account)Subject + drew + Object + Adverbial (The game drew to a close)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “drew the line”
- “drew first blood”
- “drew a blank”
- “drew the short straw”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The CEO drew a comparison between this quarter and the last.
Academic
The researcher drew a sample from the population for the study.
Everyday
The child drew a picture of their family.
Technical
The engineer drew the plans for the new bridge.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She drew the curtains as it grew dark.
- He drew £50 from the cashpoint.
- The match drew 2-2.
American English
- She drew the drapes as it got dark.
- He drew $50 from the ATM.
- The game drew 2-2.
adverb
British English
- N/A (not an adverb)
American English
- N/A (not an adverb)
adjective
British English
- N/A (not an adjective)
American English
- N/A (not an adjective)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I drew a house with a red door.
- She drew a cat for her teacher.
- The artist drew a beautiful portrait from memory.
- He drew a deep breath before speaking.
- The speaker drew an interesting parallel between the two historical events.
- The bank drew criticism for its new fees.
- The diplomat's remarks drew immediate condemnation from several governments.
- The study drew upon a vast corpus of medieval manuscripts.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DREW rhymes with 'blew' and 'flew' - all are common irregular past tense forms.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE OBJECTS TO BE PULLED FORTH (e.g., 'drew a conclusion'). ATTENTION IS A FLUID THAT CAN BE ATTRACTED (e.g., 'drew a crowd').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with the modern Russian verb for 'to tear' (рвать). The core English meaning is closer to 'рисовал' (to draw a picture) or 'тащил' (to pull).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'drawed' as the past tense (child error / non-standard).
- Confusing 'drew' (past) with 'draw' (present).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The comedian's joke drew a big laugh from the audience,' what is the closest meaning of 'drew'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the irregular past tense form of the verb 'draw'. The regular form 'drawed' is non-standard and incorrect.
The past participle is 'drawn', as in 'I have drawn a picture'.
No, 'drew' is only a verb (the past tense of 'draw'). The surname 'Drew' is a proper noun, but it is unrelated etymologically.
No, the pronunciation /druː/ is standard in both major varieties. Any minor accent variations are not significant to comprehension.