draw back
Idioms-
Retreat, as in The heckler drew back into the crowd to avoid being identified . [c. 1300]
-
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.
Instead of playing Lecter as obviously monstrous, "you go the opposite way, you draw back", he explains.
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025
At the Black Conservative Federation RNC's event, attendees spoke of the long effort to draw back voters to the party of Lincoln.
From Salon • Jul. 24, 2024
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
“They want to clean up the city’s image and use this conference as a way to draw back tourism,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2023
They draw back like I just threatened to spit poison at them.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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.
