draw the long bow

To make extravagant statements

on the bow hand

Wide of the mark

two strings to one's bow

An alternative in reserve

draw /drö/

transitive verb (pat drew /droo/; pap drawn)

1. To pull
2. To drag
3. To pull along
4. To bring forcibly towards or after one
5. To pull into position
6. To pull back
7. To pull back the string of
8. To pull together or away
9. To take (eg a raffle ticket) at random from a number
10. To entice, attract
11. To coax into giving information
12. To encourage to talk freely (usu draw out)
13. To inhale
14. To take out
15. To unsheathe
16. To withdraw
17. To cause to flow out
18. To evoke or bring out by some artifice
19. To extract by pulling
20. To extract the essence of
21. To eviscerate
22. To pull through a small hole, as in making wire
23. To deduce
24. To lengthen
25. To extend to the full length
26. To force to appear (eg to force a badger from its hole)
27. To receive or take from a source or store
28. To demand by a draft
29. To get by lot
30. To trace
31. To construct in linear form
32. To make a picture of by drawing lines
33. To describe
34. To put into shape, to frame
35. To write out (eg a cheque)
36. To require as depth of water for floating
37. To finish without winning or losing
38. To deflect the ball with the inside edge of the bat (cricket)
39. To hit (the ball) intentionally in such a way that it moves from right to left in the air (if right-handed) or from left to right (if left-handed) (golf)
40. To deliver (a bowl) so that it moves in a curve to the point aimed for (bowls)
41. To deliver gently (curling)
42. To force one's opponents to play (all their cards of a suit, esp trumps) by continually leading cards of that suit (bridge, etc)
43. To hit (the cue ball) so that it recoils after striking another ball (snooker, etc)
44. In a foundry, etc, to remove (a pattern) from a mould

intransitive verb

1. To pull
2. To practise drawing
3. To move
4. To make one's way, go
5. To resort
6. To approach
7. To make a draught
8. (of a flue, etc) to have a good current of air
9. To act as drawer
10. To draw a card, a sword or lots
11. To infuse
12. To end a game without winning or losing
13. To move in a curve to the point aimed for (bowls)

noun

1. The act of drawing
2. Assignment by lot of prizes, opponents in a game, etc
3. Anything drawn
4. A drawn or undecided game
5. An attraction
6. A drawer (of a chest of drawers; US)
7. A running play that is disguised to look like a passing play (American football)

drawˈable adjective

draweeˈ noun

1. The business or person on whom a bill of exchange is drawn
2. The bank on which a cheque is drawn

drawˈer noun

1. A person or thing that draws
2. The person who signs a cheque or bill of exchange
3. Someone who draws beer or fetches liquor in a tavern
4. /drör/ a thing drawn out, such as the sliding box in a chest of drawers
5. (in pl) a close-fitting undergarment for the lower part of the body and the legs

drawˈing noun

1. The art of representing objects or forms by lines drawn, shading, etc
2. A picture in lines
3. The act of assigning by lot
4. The act of pulling, etc

drawˈings plural noun

Any monies or other assets taken by the owner of a business, or paid by the business on the owner's behalf

drawn adjective

1. Pulled together
2. Closed
3. Neither won nor lost
4. Unsheathed
5. Eviscerated
6. Strained, tense
7. Etiolated (botany)
8. Pulled out, lengthened, as in cold drawn (engineering)

drawˈback noun

1. A disadvantage
2. A receiving back of some part of the duty on goods on their exportation

drawˈbar noun

1. A sliding bar
2. A bar used in coupling railway vehicles (also dragˈ-bar and draughtˈ-bar)

drawbar outfit noun

A lorry, whether or not articulated, with a trailer

drawˈ-boy noun

1. Orig the boy who pulled the cords of the harness in figure-weaving
2. A mechanical device for this purpose

drawˈbridge noun

1. A bridge that can be drawn up or let down as required
2. Bridge played by two people, with two dummy hands, not exposed

drawˈdown noun

1. A reduction, diminution
2. The withdrawing of funds up to a specified limit, esp (income drawdown) the withdrawal of money from one's pension fund (finance)

drawˈ-gear noun

The apparatus by which railway-cars are coupled

draw hoe noun

A hoe designed for pulling soil towards one, having a flat blade at about right angles to the handle

drawing board noun

1. A board, or a tilting surface attached to a desk, to which paper can be attached for drawing on
2. The planning stage of a project, etc (figurative)

drawˈing-frame noun

A machine in which carded wool, cotton or the like is drawn out fine

drawˈing-knife noun

A knife with a handle at each end, used by a cooper for shaving hoops by drawing it towards him

drawˈing-master noun

drawing paper noun

drawˈing-pen noun

drawˈing-pencil noun

drawing pin noun

A short broad-headed pin for fastening paper to a drawing board, etc

drawing room noun

1. In engineering, a room where plans and patterns are drawn
2. See also separate entry

drawˈing-table noun

(also draw-leaf table, draw-table and draw-top table) a table that can be extended in length by drawing out sliding leaves

drawˈ-net same as dragnet (see under drag).

drawnˈ-threadˈ work or drawn work noun

Ornamental needlework done by pulling out some of the threads of a fabric

drawˈ-plate noun

A plate supporting dies for drawing wire or tubing

drawˈ-sheet noun

(in nursing) a sheet that can be drawn out from under a patient

drawˈ-string or drawˈstring noun

A string or cord, etc, in a casing in or threaded through material, by which the material may be drawn or gathered up

adjective

Having or closed by such a string

draw-table, draw-top table see drawing-table above.

drawˈ-tube noun

A tube sliding within another, as in a form of telescope

drawˈ-well noun

A well from which water is drawn up by a bucket and apparatus

at daggers drawn

Openly hostile

draw a bead on see under bead

draw a blank

1. Literally, to get a lottery ticket that wins no prize
2. To get no result

draw a cover (or covert)

To send the hounds into a cover to frighten out a fox

draw attention to see under attention

draw back

1. To recoil
2. To withdraw

draw blank

To draw a cover, but find no fox

draw down (US)

To remove (troops) from a place where they have been stationed

draw, hang and quarter see under hang

draw in

1. To reduce, contract
2. To become shorter
3. (of nights) to begin earlier with the change of season

draw it fine

To be too precise

draw it mild (informal)

To refrain from exaggeration

draw near

To approach

draw off

1. To cause to flow from a barrel, etc
2. To withdraw

draw on

1. To approach
2. To pull on

draw on or upon

1. To make a draught upon
2. To make a demand upon (eg one's credulity, patience or resources)
3. To draw one's weapon against

draw on one's imagination

To make imaginative or lying statements

draw on one's memory

1. To try to remember
2. To make use of what one remembers

draw out

1. To leave the place (of an army, etc)
2. To lengthen
3. To entice into talk and self-expression

draw rein

To slacken speed, to stop

draw someone's attention to see under attention

draw stumps

To end play in cricket by removing the wickets

draw the cloth, board or table (archaic)

To clear up after a meal

draw the line

1. To fix a limit
2. To find finally and positively unacceptable

draw the long bow see under bow²

draw the teeth of

To make harmless

draw to a head

To mature

draw up

1. To form in regular order
2. To compose, put into shape
3. To stop

in drawing

Correctly drawn

out of drawing

Inaccurately drawn, or drawn in violation of the principles of drawing

out of the top drawer

Of top grade, esp socially

long¹ /long/

adjective (longer /longˈgər/, obsolete lengˈer; longest /longˈgist/, obsolete lengˈest)

1. Not short
2. Of a specified (or to be specified) length
3. Extended in space in the direction of greatest extension
4. Far-extending
5. Extended in time
6. Of extended continuance
7. Taking a considerable time to utter or do
8. Distant in time (rare)
9. Of distant date
10. Requiring much time in utterance or performance
11. (of a speech sound) of extended duration (phonetics)
12. (of a syllable) loosely, accented
13. (of a vowel) loosely, in a long syllable
14. (of a dress, etc) coming down to the ankles, full-length
15. (of the memory) retentive
16. (of a word) abstruse or grandiose
17. Numerically extensive
18. (of eg a suit of cards) of more than average number
19. Exceeding the standard value, as in long dozen, long hundred
20. Having a large holding in a commodity or security, in expectation of a rise in prices (finance)
21. (of a chance) remote
22. Tedious

noun

1. A long time
2. A long syllable (prosody)
3. A long signal in Morse code
4. The long summer university vacation (informal)
5. An obsolete note equal to two (in ‘perfect’ time three) breves (also longa; music)
6. (in pl) long trousers
7. (in pl) long-dated securities

adverb (compar and superl as for adjective)

1. For, during, or by, a great extent of time
2. Throughout the whole time
3. Far in space (rare)

combining form

Denoting eg of a specified length (as year-long, mile-long)

intransitive verb

To yearn (with for)

longˈa noun (music)

A long

longˈing noun

An eager desire, craving

adjective

Yearning

longˈingly adverb

longish /longˈish or -gish/ adjective

longˈly adverb (Shakespeare)

Long

longˈness noun (rare)

longˈsome adjective (archaic and dialect)

Long and tedious

longˈways or (N American) longˈwise adverb

Lengthways

longˈ-agoˈ adjective

Of the far past

noun

The far past

longˈ-and-shortˈ work see longs and shorts below.

long arm noun

Far-reaching power

longˈboard noun

A surfboard, skateboard, etc of greater than normal length

longˈboat noun

1. The largest and strongest boat of a ship
2. A longship

longˈbow noun

A bow drawn by hand as distinct from the crossbow

longˈ-breathed (or /-brethtˈ/) adjective

Able to continue violent exercise of the lungs for a long time

longcase clock noun

A grandfather clock

longˈ-chain adjective (chem)

Having a long chain of atoms in the molecule

longˈcloth noun

A cotton made in long pieces

longˈ-clothes or (obsolete) longˈ-coats plural noun

Long garments for a baby

long corner noun

(in hockey) a free stroke taken from the corner of the goal line

longˈ-daˈted adjective

Of securities, due for redemption in more than fifteen years

long-day plant noun

A plant that will only flower after being exposed to conditions of long days and short nights

longˈ-descendˈed adjective

Of ancient lineage

longˈ-distˈance adjective

1. Going or extending to or over a long distance or time
2. (of a chance) remote

adverb

Over a long distance

long division noun (mathematics)

Division in which the working is shown in full

long dozen noun

Thirteen

longˈ-drawn-outˈ adjective

1. Prolonged
2. Unduly protracted

long drink noun

A large thirst-quenching drink (sometimes alcoholic) in a tall glass

longˈ-eared adjective

With long ears or ear-like feather-tufts

long face noun

A dismal expression

longˈ-faced adjective

Dismal-looking

long field noun (cricket)

A fielder or position near the boundary on the bowler's side, long off or long on

longˈ-firm noun

A company of swindlers who obtain goods on pretence of being established in business, and then decamp without payment

longˈ-hair noun

1. A long-haired animal or person
2. A highbrow (also adjective)

longˈ-haired adjective

1. Having long hair or fur
2. Unconventional, hippy
3. Highbrow

longˈhand noun

Ordinary writing as distinct from shorthand

long haul noun

1. A journey over a great distance
2. Any activity requiring lengthy effort (figurative)

longˈ-haul adjective

longˈ-head noun

A dolichocephal

longˈ-headed adjective

1. Dolichocephalous
2. Shrewd
3. Sagacious

longˈ-headˈedness noun

long home noun

The grave

long hop noun (cricket)

A short-pitched, high-bouncing, ball that is easy to hit

longˈhorn noun

1. An animal belonging to a breed of cattle with long horns
2. A longhorn beetle with long antennae (house longhorn beetle, a beetle whose larvae are very destructive to house timbers)
3. A long-eared owl

longˈhouse noun

1. A long communal house, eg in SE Asia or among certain Native American peoples, esp the Iroquois
2. A large oblong hall or dwelling built by the Vikings (archaeology)

long hundred see under hundred

long iron noun (golf)

An iron club used to play long-range shots

long johns plural noun

Long underpants

long jump noun

An athletic contest in which competitors jump as far as possible along the ground from a running start

long jumper noun

long jumping noun

longˈleaf pine noun

A N American pine tree (Pinus palustris)

long leg noun (cricket)

A fielder, or a fielding position, on the boundary behind the batsman on the legside

longˈ-legged adjective

Having long legs

longˈ-legs noun

A cranefly

long lens noun

A telephoto lens

longˈ-life adjective

(of foodstuffs) treated so as to prolong freshness

longˈ-line noun

A long fishing-line with many hooks attached

adjective

(of clothing) long or lengthened in shape, as of a brassière or top extending over the ribcage

longˈ-liner noun

A fishing vessel that uses long-lines

longˈ-lining noun

The practice of fishing with long-lines

longˈlist noun

A preliminary list from which a shortlist is subsequently selected

transitive verb

To include in a longlist

longˈ-lived /-livdˈ or -līvdˈ/ adjective

Having a long life

long mark noun

A macron

long measure noun

1. Lineal measure
2. (also long metre) quatrains of eight-syllable lines

long moss noun

A tropical American rootless epiphyte (Tillandsia usneoides) of the pineapple family, resembling bunches of hair

longˈ-nineˈ noun (obsolete US)

A cheap cigar

long odds plural noun

In betting, a remote chance, unfavourable odds in terms of risk, favourable in terms of potential gain

long off noun (cricket)

A fielder, or a fielding position, on the boundary behind the bowler on the offside

long-oil see oil length under oil

long on noun (cricket)

A fielder, or a fielding position, on the boundary behind the bowler on the onside

long paddock noun (Aust)

The grass verge of a road, sometimes used for grazing animals on

long-persistence screen noun

A cathode-ray tube coated with long afterglow (up to several seconds) phosphor

long pig noun (old)

Human flesh as food for cannibals

longˈ-playing adjective

Of a gramophone record, giving length in reproduction because of the extremely fine groove and slow rotation

longˈprimˈer noun (printing)

A size of type (about 10-point) intermediate between small pica and bourgeois

longˈ-purˈples noun

1. The early purple orchis
2. Purple loosestrife

long QT syndrome noun (medicine)

A hereditary disorder affecting the electrical rhythm of the heart (abbrev LQTS)

longˈ-range adjective

1. (of weapons) long in range, designed to reach remote targets
2. (of aircraft, etc) covering long distances without having to refuel
3. (of a forecast) extending well into the future

long robe see under robe¹

longˈ-runˈning adjective

Continuing over a long period

longs and shorts plural noun

1. Greek or Latin verses
2. (also long-and-short work) masonry of alternate vertical and horizontal blocks, as in quoins and jambs

long sheep noun

A long-woolled sheep

longˈship noun (historical)

A distinctive type of long vessel built by the Vikings

long shot noun

1. (a bet, entry, venture, etc with) a remote chance of success
2. A shot taken at a distance from the object filmed

longˈ-sightˈed adjective

1. Able to see far but not close at hand
2. Hypermetropic
3. Presbyopic
4. Having foresight
5. Sagacious

longˈ-sightˈedly adverb

longˈ-sightˈedness noun

longˈ-sixˈes plural noun (archaic)

Candles weighing six to a pound

longˈ-spun adjective

Long-drawn-out, tedious

longˈspur noun

Any bunting of the genera Calcarius and Rhyncophanes with a long claw on the hind toe

longˈ-standˈing adjective

Of long existence or continuance

longˈ-staˈple adjective

Having a long fibre

longˈ-stay adjective

1. Of eg patients in a hospital, staying permanently or semi-permanently
2. (of a car park) allowing patrons to leave their cars for days or weeks rather than hours

long stop noun

1. A fielder, or a fielding position (now largely disused), directly behind the wicket to stop balls missed by the wicketkeeper (cricket)
2. A person or thing that acts as a final safeguard or check (figurative)

longˈ-stop intransitive verb

To field as long stop

longˈ-suffˈering adjective

Enduring long and patiently

noun

Long endurance or patience

longˈ-suffˈeringly adverb

long suit noun

1. The suit with most cards in a player's hand
2. A particular talent, good quality, or advantage that one has

long tail noun (commerce)

The phenomenon by which a large number of less popular products can generate more revenue than a small number of highly successful ones

longˈ-tail noun

1. An animal, esp a dog, with an uncut tail (also adjective)
2. A greyhound

longˈ-term adjective

1. Extending over a long time
2. (of a policy) concerned with time ahead as distinct from the immediate present

longˈ-time adjective

Enduring for a long time

long-togs, long Tom, long ton see under tog¹, tom¹ and ton¹ respectively.

longˈ-tongued adjective

1. Having a long tongue
2. Talkative, babbling

longˈ-track (skating or) speedskating noun

Speedskating in which contestants race around a 400-metre track, usu in pairs against the clock

long vacation noun

A long holiday during the summer, when schools, etc are closed

long view noun

The taking into consideration of events, etc in the distant future

longˈ-visˈaged adjective

1. Long-faced
2. With a rueful countenance

longˈ-waistˈed adjective

1. Of a garment, having a deep or dropped waist
2. (of a person) long from the armpits to the hips

longˈwall noun

A long working face in a coalmine (longwall system or working a mining technique in which a seam is exposed along its length then removed, layer by layer)

longˈ-wave adjective (radio)

Of, or using, wavelengths over 1000 metres

longwearˈing adjective

Of clothes, that may be worn for a long time without wearing out, hard-wearing

long whist see under whist²

longˈ-windˈed adjective

1. Long-breathed
2. Tediously wordy and circumlocutory

longˈ-windˈedly adverb

longˈ-windˈedness noun

a long figure (slang)

A high price or rate

a long purse

Abundance of money

as long as

Provided only that

before long or (poetic or facetious) ere long

Soon

draw the long bow see under bow²

go long (finance)

To acquire more holdings in commodities or securities in expectation of a rise in prices

in the long run see under run

long on

Well supplied with

long since

A long time ago

make a long arm (informal)

To help oneself freely at table

make a long nose

To cock a snook or put a thumb to the nose as a vulgar gesture

no longer

Not now as formerly

not by a long shot

Not by any means

not long for this world

Near death

so long (informal)

Goodbye (poss from Ar salaam peace, used as a word of farewell)

so long as

Provided only that

the long and the short (of it) or (esp Shakespeare) the short and the long (of it)

The sum of the matter in a few words