draft

draft [draft, dräft]

n.

[ME draught, a drawing, pulling, stroke < base of OE dragan, DRAW]

1.

a) a drawing or pulling, as of a vehicle or load

b) the thing, quantity, or load pulled

2.

a) a drawing in of a fish net

b) the amount of fish caught in one draw

3.

a) a taking of liquid into the mouth; drinking

b) the amount taken at one drink

4.

a) a portion of liquid for drinking; specif., a dose of medicine

b) Informal a portion of beer, ale, etc. drawn from a cask

5.

a) a drawing into the lungs, as of air or tobacco smoke

b) the amount of air, smoke, etc., drawn in

6. a rough or preliminary sketch of a piece of writing

7. a plan or drawing of a work to be done

8. a current of air, as in a room, heating system, etc.

9. a device for regulating the current of air in a heating system

10. a written order issued by one person, bank, firm, etc., directing the payment of money to another; check

11. a demand or drain made on something

12.

a) the choosing or taking of an individual or individuals from a group for some special purpose, esp. for compulsory military service

b) the condition of being so taken

☆ c) a group of these so taken

☆ 13. the demand made by a political party for a person to accept, sometimes reluctantly, a candidacy

14.

a) the area of reduced air resistance behind a moving vehicle

b) the act or instance of closely following a race car, truck, etc. to avoid wind resistance and conserve fuel

15. Commerce a deduction allowed for waste or loss in weight

16. Hydraulics the size of an opening for the flow of water

17. Masonry a narrow strip along the edge or across the face of a stone, serving as a guide in leveling the surface

18. Mech. the taper given to a pattern or die so that the work can be removed easily

19. Naut. the depth of water that a vessel draws, or needs in order to float, esp. when loaded

☆ 20. Sports a system by which a league, as of professional teams, allots to each team the right to contract specified individuals in a group of players, esp. new players, usually by giving each team a turn to select one player until each roster is full

vt.

1. to choose or take for some special purpose, as compulsory military service, by drawing from a group

☆ 2. to persuade or compel (a person) to become a candidate for public office

3. to make a preliminary sketch of or working plans for

4. Sports to select (a player) during or in a DRAFT (n. 20)

vi.

☆ to drive very closely behind another vehicle while racing, so as to take advantage of the reduced air resistance behind it

adj.

1. used for pulling loads [draft animals]

2. drawn from a cask on order [draft beer]

3. in a preliminary or rough form [a draft resolution]

——————

on draft

ready to be drawn directly from the cask

draftable

adj.

drafter

n.