drawer

noun

USDRAWR/dɹɔɹ/UKDRAW/dɹɔː(ɹ)/

9 meanings of drawer

1
nouncountable
A box that slides in and out of furniture, used to keep clothes or other things.
Like a tray you pull out from a stack to reach what is inside, then push back.
She kept her socks in the top drawer of the dresser.
The desk has a small drawer for pens and paper clips.
Note
2
DRAW-ur/ˈdɹɔ.ɚ/UKDRAW-uh/ˈdɹɔː.ə(ɹ)/
nouncountable
An artist who mainly makes drawings rather than paintings.
As a drawer, she preferred charcoal to oils.
The gallery featured several skilled drawers beside the painters.
Similardraftsman, illustrator, sketcher
3
DRAW-ur/ˈdɹɔ.ɚ/UKDRAW-uh/ˈdɹɔː.ə(ɹ)/
nouncountable
The person who writes and signs a check or money order.
Like the person who signs a check to promise that money will be paid.
The bank returned the check because the drawer had no money in the account.
As the drawer, he signed the check and handed it across the counter.
Similarmaker, issuer
Oppositepayee, drawee
Note
4
DRAW-ur/ˈdɹɔ.ɚ/UKDRAW-uh/ˈdɹɔː.ə(ɹ)/
noun
Agent noun of draw. Names a person who draws or pulls something.
The drawer of the winning ticket came up to the stage.
As drawer of the lots, she pulled each name from the hat.
Note
5
nouncountable
A side panel that slides out on a screen to show extra options or content.
Like a drawer in a desk: you slide it out when you need it, then push it away.
Tap the menu icon to open the drawer on the left.
The app keeps your account settings in a slide-out drawer.
Similarsidebar, panel
Note
6
DRAW-ur/ˈdɹɔ.ɚ/UKDRAW-uh/ˈdɹɔː.ə(ɹ)/
nouncountable
A person who pours beer from the taps at a bar.
The drawer filled our glasses straight from the cask.
She worked as a drawer at the tavern on weekends.
Similarbartender, barman, tapster
Note
7
nounbefore a noun
Attributive form of drawers. Used before another noun to describe something that belongs to a pair of drawers.
Leloir described les calecons, drawer-type undergarment worn by French ladies (wc).
1988, Nell DuVall, Domestic Technology: A Chronology of Developments
Today men of every age are turning to the athletic pull-over shirt and drawer type of underwear.
1930, directed by Amos Parrish, “What’s In Fashion: Underwear For Men”
Note
8
DRAW-ur/ˈdɹɔ.ɚ/UKDRAW-uh/ˈdɹɔː.ə(ɹ)/
nounhistoricalcountable
A worker who pushes carts of coal or ore through underground mine tunnels.
Like someone pushing a heavy wheelbarrow through a narrow tunnel all day long.
The young drawer pushed a heavy tub of coal toward the shaft.
Every drawer in the pit worked long hours in the dark.
Similarputter, hauler, trammer
Note
9
DRAW-ur/ˈdɹɔ.ɚ/UKDRAW-uh/ˈdɹɔː.ə(ɹ)/
nouncountable
A person who collects sap from palm trees to make a drink called toddy.
Like someone who collects sap from a maple tree, but climbing a palm instead.
The drawer climbed the tall palm to collect the sweet sap.
Each morning the drawer emptied the pots tied to the trees.
Similartapper
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1, 5, 7

From draw, meaning to pull, plus -er. First used in the 1500s.

Meanings 2–4, 6, 8–9

From Middle English drawer, made from draw plus -er, which marks a person who does something. First used in the 1300s.