[drag on the market]{n. phr.} An article for which the demand has fallen off thus causing an oversupply. •/Your type of word processor went out of style and is now a drag on the market./

[drag oneself up by one’s boot straps] See: PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOT STRAPS.

[drag one’s feet] or [drag one’s heels] {v. phr.} To act slowly or reluctantly. •/The children wanted to watch television, and dragged their feet when their mother told them to go to bed./ •/The city employees said the mayor had promised to raise their pay, but was now dragging his feet./

[drag out] See: DRAG ON.

[drag race]{n.}, {slang} An automobile race in which the drivers try to cover a certain distance (usually one quarter mile) in the shortest possible time. •/Drag races are often held on airport landing strips./ •/Holding drag races is a good way to stop teenage hot rod racing on public highways./ Compare: DRAG STRIP.

[drag strip]{n.}, {slang} A place where drag races are held. •/Before the race Paul loaded his racer onto the trailer to take it out of town to the drag strip for the race./ Compare: DRAG RACE.

[drain] See: DOWN THE DRAIN.

[draw] See: BEAT TO THE PUNCH or BEAT TO THE DRAW.

[draw a bead on]{v. phr.}{informal} 1. To aim at; sight (with a gun). •/The deer bounded into the forest before the hunters could draw a bead on them./ •/John drew a bead on the elk, but didn’t have the heart to pull the trigger./ 2. To take (something) as an aim or goal. •/"I’m drawing a bead on the Literary Society president’s office," said Tom./ 3. To use as a target of attack; criticize. •/Whenever a politician makes a mistake, his opponents are ready to draw a bead on him./

[draw a blank]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To obtain nothing in return for an effort made or to get a negative result. •/I looked up all the Joneses in the telephone book but I drew a blank every time I asked for Archibald Jones./ 2. To fail to remember something. •/I am trying to think of the name but I keep drawing a blank./ 3. To be consistently unsuccessful at doing something. •/I keep trying to pass that math exam but each time I try it I draw a blank./

[draw a conclusion]{v. phr.} To make an inference. •/After he failed to keep an appointment with me for the third time, I drew the conclusion that he was an unreliable person./

[draw a line] or [draw the line] {v. phr.} 1. To think of as different. •/The law in this country draws a line between murder and manslaughter./ •/Can you draw the line between a lie and a fib?/ 2. To set a limit to what will be done; say something cannot be done. •/We would like to invite everybody to our party, but we have to draw a line somewhere./ — Often used with "at". •/Mrs. Jones draws the line at permitting the children to play in their father’s den./ •/People fighting for their freedom often do not draw the line at murder./

[draw a long breath] or [take a long breath] {v. phr.} To breathe deeply when getting ready to speak or act. •/Father asked who broke the window. Jim drew a long breath and admitted that he had done it./ •/The salesman took a long breath and started his talk./

[draw a parallel]{v. phr.} To make a comparison. •/It is easy to draw a parallel between the characters of Saint Francis of Assisi and Great Saint Theresa of Aquila, but this doesn’t mean that all saints are alike./

[draw and quarter]{v. phr.}, {literary} 1. To execute someone in the barbaric medieval fashion of having him torn into four pieces by four horses tearing his body in four different directions. •/The captured foreign marauders were drawn and quartered by the angry citizens of ancient Frankfurt./ 2. To punish someone very severely. •/"If you miss another homework assignment, John," the teacher said, "I’ll have you drawn and quartered."/

[draw aside]{v. phr.} To separate; take to one side. •/He drew her aside and whispered into her ear, "Johanna, please marry me!"/

[draw back]{v.} To move back; back away; step backward; withdraw; move away from. •/When the man spotted the rattlesnake, he drew back and aimed his shotgun./ •/The children drew back from the dog when it barked at them./ •/When the pitcher drew back his arm to pitch the ball, Tom ran as fast as he could to steal second base./ •/Some juice from the grapefruit that Father was eating squirted in his eye and he drew back in surprise./ Compare: DROP BACK.

[drawback]{n.} Disadvantage; obstacle; hindrance. •/The biggest drawback of Bill’s plan is the cost involved./

[draw blood]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make someone feel hurt or angry. •/If you want to draw blood, ask Jim about his last money-making scheme./ •/Her sarcastic comments drew blood./

[drawer] See: TOP-DRAWER.

[draw fire]{v. phr.} 1. To attract or provoke shooting; be a target. •/The general’s white horse drew the enemy’s fire./ 2. To bring criticism or argument; make people say bad things about you. •/Having the newest car in your group is sure to draw fire./

[drawing card]{n.} The most important figure in a multi-person event; the top entertainer during a show; the best professor or researcher at a university, etc. •/During the concert series Barbra Streisand was the biggest drawing card./ •/The biggest drawing card at many a university is the resident Nobel Laureate./

[draw in one’s horns] See: PULL IN ONE’S HORNS.

[draw interest]{v. phr.} To earn interest on invested capital. •/My savings account draws 4.5% interest./

[draw lots]{v. phr.} To select at random from a series in order to determine precedents or apportionment. •/The refugees to be evacuated drew lots on who would get a place on the first airplane out of the besieged city./

[draw near]{v. phr.} To approach; come near. •/The time is drawing near when this century will end and the next will begin./

[draw off]{v. phr.} To drain away; deflect. •/A light flanking attack was made in order to draw off the enemy’s fire./

[draw on]{v. phr.} 1. To arrive; approach. •/As midnight drew on, the New Year’s Eve party grew louder and louder./ 2. To secure funds from a bank or person. •/Jack kept drawing on his bank account so much that several of his checks bounced./

[draw out]{v. phr.} 1. To take out; remove. •/Johnny drew a dollar out of the bank to buy his mother a present./ •/The hunter drew out his gun and shot the snake./ 2. To make (a person) talk or tell something. •/Jimmy was bashful but Mrs. Wilson drew him out by asking him about baseball./ 3. To make come out; bring out. •/The bell of the ice-cream truck drew the children out of the houses./ •/Mary was drawn out of her silence by Billy’s jokes./ 4. To make longer or too long; stretch. •/The Smiths drew out their vacation at the beach an extra week./ •/It was a long drawn out meeting because everybody tried to talk at once./ •/Mary and her mother drew out their goodbyes so long at the bus station that Mary almost missed the bus./

[draw the fire of] See: DRAW OFF.

[draw the line] See: DRAW A LINE.

[draw to a close]{v. phr.} To finish; terminate; come to an end. •/The meeting drew to a close around midnight./