drawn

1. 1
   verb

   Past participle of draw.

   The blinds were drawn against the bright afternoon sun.

   He had drawn a detailed map of the entire area.

   Note

   The participle that carries perfect and passive verbs: she has drawn the curtains, the bolt was drawn. Its -n ending keeps it distinct from the simple past drew, so the two are not interchangeable. The pulling senses of draw carry over intact, as in a belt drawn tight or a latch drawn back. The adjectives on this page, from the haggard face to tractor-drawn and its kin, are built on this form.

2. 2
   adjective

   Looking tired and unwell, as from stress or strain; haggard.

   The survivors were thin and drawn by the time the rescuers reached them.

   Months of grief had left her face drawn and hollow.

   Similarhaggard, gaunt, pinched, worn, strained

   Oppositehealthy, rested, fresh

   Note

   Here the depletion shows on the body. A person looks drawn when strain has used them up, which makes this the visible face of the "used up" meaning. It is said of people and their faces, not of objects, and it pairs naturally with thin, pale or hollow. Haggard is its close synonym and makes a good test: if haggard fits, drawn usually does too.

3. 3
   adjectivein compounds

   Pulled, towed, or extracted in the manner indicated by an accompanying word.

   Cold water drawn straight from the spring filled the basin.

   Most freight that century moved in mule-drawn wagons before the railways spread.

   Similarpulled

   Note

   This is a combining form more than a free-standing adjective. The first element names what does the pulling: tractor-drawn, horse-drawn, mule-drawn, hand-drawn. Before a noun the pair is hyphenated, as in a tractor-drawn implement. Used alone, the word tends to slip back into the plain participle, so the compound is the safest way to use this sense.

4. 4
   adjective

   Undecided, with no definite winner or loser; ending in a tie.

   The series stood drawn at two wins apiece going into the final round.

   After six hours of play, the contest was declared drawn.

   Similartied

   Oppositedecided

   Note

   A game that ends at a draw is drawn. The word sits before a noun (a drawn game, a drawn series) and after be (the match was drawn). In the second position it reads almost like a passive verb. Tied is the close synonym, but drawn names the outcome of the whole contest rather than a level score at some moment along the way.

5. 5
   adjective

   Emptied or used up; depleted.

   The reservoir was badly drawn after the long, rainless summer.

   Their savings stood drawn nearly to zero after the medical bills.

   Similardepleted, drained, exhausted

   Oppositefull, replenished

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