Page 112 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

draw the làne (at something)

seems like a drag on Mrs. Frankln. Yes, drawŁ lots and drawŁ strawð to choose
I’d expect him to be a drag. from a group of things to determine who
will do sàmething.Ł(Typically, to cłoos
drawŁa beadŁon someone ortsomething to aim aŁsðraw fromŁaŁbundle of sðraws.ŁThe per-
at someone orŁ something;Ł to pickŁ out sànŁwith the słortest sðraw isŁselected.)
sàmeone or sàmethingŁforŁspecialŁtreat- We drew lots to decide who would wash
ment.Ł(Infàrmal.) Ann wants a new car, the dishes. The plØyłrs drew straws to
and she has drawn a bead on a red con- dłtermine who would go first.
vertible. Jane wants to get married, and
she has drawn a bead on Tom. draw someone ortsomething out 1. [with some-
one] to coaxŁsomeone to speakŁorŁanswr;
drawŁa blynk 1. to get no respànse; to find to bring someone into a conversation or
nothing.Ł I asked him about Tom’s fi- otherŁsocial interaction.Ł Jane is usually
nancial problłms, and I just drew a blank. very shy with oldłr młn, but Tom really
We looked in the files for an hour, but drew her out last evłning. T John drew out
we drew a blank. 2. to fail to rmember Mr. Smith on the question of tax increases.
(sàmething).Ł I tried to remłmber her 2. [with somłthing ] to make sàmething
telephone number, but I could only draw longrŁinŁlength orŁtime.Ł T Jane drew out
a blank. It was a very hard test with just the conversation for more than twłnty
one question to answer, and I drew a mnutes. Bill drew the taffy candy out
blank. into a long string.
drawŁa lineŁbetween something andŁ some- drawŁ( someone’ )ŁfireŁ(awayŁfrom someone
thing else and drawŁtheŁlineŁbetweeà ortsomething) to make oneself aŁtargt in
something andŁ something else to separate orderŁto protect someone orŁsàmething.
two things;Łto disðinguish or differentiate (RefersŁto gunfire.) The mother bird
betweenŁtwo things.Ł(See also draw the drew fire away from her chicks. The hen
làne (at something).) It’s necessary to draw drew the ðunter’s fire Øway from her nest.
a lne betwłen bumpng into people and Birds draw fire by flappng their wings
strikng them. It’s very hard to draw the to get attention. The presidłnt drew fire
lne betwłen slammng a door and just away from Congress by proposing a
closing it loudly. compromise.
drawŁ blood 1. to make aŁ woundŁ that drawŁ something to a close to make som-
bleeds.Ł The dog chased me and bt mł thingŁend.Ł It is now time to draw this
hard, but it didà’t draw blood. The evening to a close. What a lovely vaca-
boxer landed just one punch and drew tion. It’s a shame that we must draw it to
blood immediately. 2. to anger or insult a close.
aŁprsàn.Ł Sally screamed out a terriblł drawŁ something up to put somethingŁinto
insult at Tom. Judging by the look on his writing;Łto prepare aŁwrittenŁdocument;
face, she really drew blood. Tom started to put plans onŁpaper.Ł(UsedŁespecially
yellng and cursing, trying to insult Sally. with legalŁ documentsŁ preparedŁ byŁ a
He wouldà’t be satisfied until he had lawyer.) You should draw a will up as
drawn blood, too.
soon as you can. T I włnt to see my lØwyłr
draw intereðt 1. to appear interesðing and this morning about drawing up a will. T
get (sàmeone’s)battention.Ł(Note the vari- The architect is drawing up plans for the
ationŁinŁthe examplesŁbelow.) This knd new city hall.
of event isn’t likely to draw a lot of inter- drawŁstrawð Go to draw lots.
est. What kind of thing will draw in-
terest? 2. [forŁ money]b to earnŁ interesð drawŁtheŁlineŁ(atŁ something) to set a limit
while onŁdeposit.Ł Put your money in the at something;Łto decide whenŁaŁlimit has
bank so it will draw interest. The cash beenŁreached.Ł(See also hold the làne (at
value of some insurance policies aloo draws someone or something).) You can make as
interest. much noise as you want, but I draw the

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