draw back
Idioms-
Retreat, as in The heckler drew back into the crowd to avoid being identified . [c. 1300]
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Withdraw from an undertaking, as in I was too deeply committed to draw back now . [Mid-1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We can’t allow this kind of bullying to make us so fearful that we are paralyzed and that we draw back from our core values.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2025
There were two stagehands waiting to draw back the curtains for us to go on and one said: “‘You nervous?’
From New York Times • Feb. 9, 2024
I thought Dallas would be the Kraken’s best first-round draw, back when that was still in question.
From Seattle Times • May 1, 2023
King Charles pulled a cord to draw back material which had covered the name on an easel.
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2023
El Patron was watching them with obvious glee, and Matt realized it might be dangerous to draw back now.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.