draw out

British  

verb

1. to extend or cause to be extended

   he drew out his stay

2. (tr) to cause (a person) to talk freely

   she's been quiet all evening – see if you can draw her out

3. Also: draw from.  to elicit (information) (from)

   he managed to draw out of his son where he had been

4. (tr) to withdraw (money) as from a bank account or a business

5. (intr) (of hours of daylight) to become longer

6. (intr) (of a train) to leave a station

7. (tr) to extend (troops) in line; lead from camp

8. (intr) (of troops) to proceed from camp

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draw out Idioms  

1. Pull out, extract, remove, as in She drew out her pen , or Let's draw some money out of the bank . [c. 1300]

2. Prolong, protract, as in This meal was drawn out over four hours . The related expression long-drawn-out means “greatly extended or protracted,” as in The dinner was a long-drawn-out affair . [1500s]

3. Induce to speak freely, as in The teacher was good at drawing out the children . [Late 1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

draw out

He had a rare ability to draw out everyone he met, from common infantrymen to generals, who trusted him with their stories.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

His attentiveness will be closely watched in the Maduro case, as tussling between the defense and prosecution has already threatened to draw out proceedings.

From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026

To make the product, the team used honey from native bees as a natural, edible solvent to draw out beneficial compounds from cocoa shells, a byproduct typically discarded during chocolate production.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2026

Subin and Underriner draw out different “types” of cities: New York City isn’t building much, but the housing it does build permits people to drive little.

From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2025

“The eggs will draw out his sickness,” she said confidently.

From "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child" by Francisco Jiménez

Related Words

• drag out
• elongate
• protract