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draw fire

Idioms  
  1. Encounter criticism, as in His recent article was bound to draw fire. This expression uses the verb draw in the sense of “attract” or “provoke,” and transfers fire in the sense of “gunfire” to a somewhat milder attack.


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.

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During the battle, Puckett sprinted across an open area to draw fire so that Rangers could spot and target enemy machine-gunners.

From Seattle Times Apr. 29, 2024

The Museum of the American Revolution is not the first institution to draw fire for a rental to groups or figures deemed contradictory to its mission.

From New York Times Jun. 28, 2023

The companies may also draw fire on Tuesday for a widely criticized plan to give Albertsons' shareholders a $4 billion dividend payment.

From Reuters Nov. 29, 2022

Alexander's apparent cash grab has already begun to draw fire from inside the tent.

From Salon Nov. 18, 2020

I draw fire and water forgetting all the rules and morphing into something new.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

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