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draught. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
draught, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
draught in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
From Middle English draught, draght, draȝt, from Old English *dreaht, *dræht (related to dragan (“to draw, drag”)), from Proto-Germanic *drahtuz, noun form of *draganą; equivalent to draw + -t.
Pronunciation
Noun
draught (countable and uncountable, plural draughts)
- (British spelling) Alternative form of draft in some of its senses.
- Sense 1 of draft:
She could feel a draught where she was sitting.
- Senses 17, 18 of draft:
- Senses 3, 4 of draft:
1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 36”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:“Drink and pass!” he cried, handing the heavy charged flagon to the nearest seaman. “The crew alone now drink. Round with it, round! Short draughts—long swallows, men; ’tis hot as Satan’s hoof.
- Sense 5 of draft:
- Senses 4, 5 of draft: 1927-29, M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, translated 1940 by Mahadev Desai, Part I, Chapter iii:
- Much as I wish that I had not to write this chapter, I know that I shall have to swallow many such bitter draughts in the course of this narrative. And I cannot do otherwise, if I claim to be a worshipper of Truth.
- Sense 7 of draft:
1946 July and August, “Notes and News: The War Effect on the Clyde Steamers”, in Railway Magazine, page 324:All the L.N.E.R. Clyde vessels are paddle-propelled, because of the shallow draught at Craigendoran Pier.
- Sense 1 of draft:
1953 November, “Notes and News: New Clothing for Tunnel Workers”, in Railway Magazine, page 783:A standard type of donkey jacket made of white milled flannel is being introduced by British Railways for the use of staff working in tunnels where there are conditions of extreme cold, dampness and draught.
- (British) A checker: a game piece used in the game of draughts.
- (Australia) Ale: a type of beer brewed using top-fermenting yeast.
- (UK, medicine, obsolete) A mild vesicatory.
- (obsolete) An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew:Then sayde Jesus: are ye yett withoute understondinge? perceave ye not, that whatsoever goeth in at the mouth, descendeth doune into the bely, and ys cast out into the draught?
c. 1605–1608, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):Rid me these Villaines from your companies; / Hang them, or stab them, drowne them in a draught, / Confound them by some course, and come to me, / Ile giue you Gold enough.
- (UK, obsolete) Any picture or drawing.
1650, Thomas Browne, chapter V, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: , 2nd edition, London: A Miller, for Edw Dod and Nath Ekins, , →OCLC, 1st book, page 22:And therefore, for the whole process, and full representation, there must be more than one draught; the one representing him in station, the other in session, another in genuflexion.
- (UK, obsolete) A sudden attack upon an enemy.
1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande , Dublin: Societie of Stationers, , →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland (Ancient Irish Histories), Dublin: Society of Stationers, Hibernia Press, y John Morrison, 1809, →OCLC:drawing sudden draughts upon the enemy when he looketh not for you
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
Translations to be checked
Adjective
draught (not comparable)
- (British spelling) The British form of draft.
draught beer or cider
draught oxen, a draught horse
Verb
draught (third-person singular simple present draughts, present participle draughting, simple past and past participle draughted)
- (British spelling) Alternative spelling of draft
1826, [Walter Scott], Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. , volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC:The Parliament so often draughted and drained.
Usage notes
There are senses used in American English which do not apply in British English.
References
Middle English
Etymology
From Old English dreaht, *dræht (related to dragan (“to draw, drag”)), from Proto-Germanic *drahtuz, equivalent to drawen + -th.
Pronunciation
Noun
draught (plural draughtes)
- draught
Descendants
References
Yola
Etymology
From Middle English draught, draght, from Old English dreaht, *dræht (related to dragan (“to draw, drag”)), from Proto-Germanic *drahtuz.
Pronunciation
Noun
draught
- A drawing stroke with a weapon.
1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 6, page 86:Many a bra draught by Tommeen was ee-maate;- Many a brave stroke by Tommy was made;
References
- Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 36