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draft

 
(drăft) pronunciation
n.
  1. A current of air in an enclosed area.
  2. A device that regulates the flow or circulation of air.
    1. The act of pulling loads; traction.
    2. Something that is pulled or drawn; a load.
    3. A team of animals used to pull loads.
  3. Nautical. The depth of a vessel's keel below the water line, especially when loaded: a river vessel of shallow draft.
  4. A heavy demand on resources.
  5. A written order directing the payment of money from an account or fund.
    1. A gulp, swallow, or inhalation.
    2. The amount taken in by a single act of drinking or inhaling.
    3. A measured portion; a dose.
    1. The drawing of a liquid, as from a cask or keg.
    2. An amount drawn: ordered two drafts of ale.
    1. The process or method of selecting one or more individuals from a group, as for a service or duty: a candidate who did not pursue the nomination, but accepted a draft by the party convention.
    2. Compulsory enrollment in the armed forces; conscription.
    3. A body of people selected or conscripted.
  6. Sports. A system in which the exclusive rights to new players are distributed among professional teams.
    1. The act of drawing in a fishnet.
    2. The quantity of fish caught.
    1. Any of various stages in the development of a plan, document, or picture: a preliminary draft of a report; the final draft of a paper.
    2. A representation of something to be constructed.
  7. A narrow line chiseled on a stone to guide a stonecutter in leveling its surface.
  8. A slight taper given a die to facilitate the removal of a casting.
  9. An allowance made for loss in weight of merchandise.

v., draft·ed, draft·ing, drafts.

v.tr.
  1. To select from a group for some usually compulsory service: drafted into the army.
  2. To select from a group for placement on a sports team.
  3. To draw up a preliminary version of or plan for.
  4. To create by thinking and writing; compose: draft a speech.
v.intr.
  1. To work as a drafter.
  2. To move, ride, or drive close behind a fast-moving object so as to take advantage of the slipstream, especially in a race.
adj.
  1. Suited for or used for drawing heavy loads: oxen and other draft animals.
  2. Drawn from a cask or tap: draft beer.
idiom:

on draft

  1. Drawn from a large container, such as a keg.

[Middle English draught, act of drawing or pulling, from Old English *dreaht, akin to dragan, to draw.]


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Fowler's Modern English Usage:

draft, draught

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Draft, originally a phonetic respelling of draught, is used for (1) a preliminary sketch or version (She made a first draft of her speech), (2) a written order for payment by a bank, (3) a military detachment. A draftsman is someone who drafts documents. Draught is used in all other common meanings (game of draughts, a current of air, a ships' displacement, beer on draught, a dose of liquid medicine, a draught-horse). In American English, draft is used for all these meanings and the game of draughts is called checkers.

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1. order in writing, directing a person other than the maker to pay a specified sum to a named person. Drafts may or may not be negotiable instruments, depending on whether the elements of negotiability are satisfied.
Draft is synonymous with bill of exchange.


2. preliminary form of a legal document; for example, the draft of a contract, often called rough draft.


3. process of preparing, or drawing, a legal document, such as a will or a piece of proposed legislation.


4. in a military context, conscription of citizens into the military service.

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Roget's Thesaurus:

draft

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noun

  1. The act of drawing or pulling a load: drag, draw, haul, pull, traction. See push/pull.
  2. An act of drinking or the amount swallowed: drink, potation, pull, quaff, sip, sup, swill. Informal swig. Slang belt. See mouth.
  3. Compulsory enrollment in military service: conscription, induction, levy. See give/take/reciprocity.
  4. A preliminary plan or version, as of a written work: outline, rough, skeleton, sketch. See planned/unplanned, words.

verb

  1. To enroll compulsorily in military service: conscript, induct, levy. See give/take/reciprocity.
  2. To draw up a preliminary plan or version of: adumbrate, block in (or out), outline, rough in (or out), sketch. See planned/unplanned.
  3. To devise and set down: draw up, formulate, frame. See words.


n

Definition: plan
Antonyms: final copy

draft, in banking, order by one party to another party to pay a stated sum to the person or firm in whose favor the draft is made. It is similar in form to the ordinary bank check. Often the drawer and the drawee of a draft are the same person. A sight draft is payable immediately on presentation to the drawee; a time draft is payable at a fixed date in the future. A draft is sometimes known as a bill of exchange. It was originally devised to give credit to a customer who intended to pay in the future, but it came to be used to pay foreign debts (see foreign exchange) because it obviated the bother, expense, and risk of transmitting money. Apparently, drafts were used in early Babylon, Egypt, and Rome, but the earliest clear instance of their use is in Genoa c.1156. Drafts are usually used in commercial transactions in which buyer and seller are distant from each other. The seller draws a draft against the buyer of his goods and sends the draft, together with shipping documents, to his bank. The bank or its agent presents the draft to the buyer for his acceptance of the obligation or for payment. If, in the case of a time draft, the buyer accepts the obligation to pay, he will often put a note to that effect, along with his signature, on the draft. Such an accepted draft is known as a trade acceptance and represents a legal commitment on the part of the buyer to pay the amount stipulated.


This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

A written order by the first party, called the drawer, instructing a second party, called the drawee (such as a bank), to pay money to a third party, called the payee. An order to pay a sum certain in money, signed by a drawer, payable on demand or at a definite time, to order or bearer.

A tentative, provisional, or preparatory writing out of any document (as a will, contract, lease, and so on) for purposes of discussion and correction, which is afterward to be prepared in its final form.

Compulsory conscription of persons into military service.

Also, a small arbitrary deduction or allowance made to a merchant or importer, in the case of goods sold by weight or taxable by weight, to cover possible loss of weight in handling or from differences in scales.

A draft that is payable on demand is called a sight draft because the drawee must comply with its terms of payment when it is presented, in his or her sight or presence, by the payee. In contrast, a time draft is one that is payable only on the date specified on its face or thereafter.

A draft may be payable to a designated payee or to the bearer — the person who has possession of the draft at the time it is presented to the drawee for payment — pursuant to the drawer's directions.

A draft is sometimes synonymous with a bill of exchange, commercial paper, or negotiable instrument.

A preliminary version of a book, speech, essay, or outline.

(DOD) 1. The conscription of qualified citizens in military service. 2. The depth of water that a vessel requires to float freely; the depth of a vessel from the water line to the keel. See also active duty; Military Service; watercraft.

A system for selecting young men for compulsory military service, administered in the United States by the Selective Service System. At present the United States relies on a volunteer military and does not have a draft, though young men are required by law to register with the Selective Service. (See also conscientious objector and draft dodger.)

Word Tutor:

draft

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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: A current of air. Also: a quick sketch.

pronunciation As he sat reading through the pile of old love letters in the attic, he pulled up his collar against the draft.

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Quotes About:

Draft

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Quotes:

"A young man who does not have what it takes to perform military service is not likely to have what it takes to make a living." - John F. Kennedy

"People have not been horrified by war to a sufficient extent... War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige as the warrior does today." - John F. Kennedy

"Pressed into service means pressed out of shape." - Robert Frost

Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'draft'

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
For a list of words related to draft, see:

  See crossword solutions for the clue Draft.
Translations:

Draft

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - udkast, plan, forslag, veksel, indfrielse af veksel, byrdedetachement, værnepligt, forstærkning, træk, slurk
v. tr. - skitsere, udvælge til særlig opgave/formål, indkalde, udskrive
v. intr. - befinde sig i træk-vinden i et løb
adj. - indkaldte

idioms:

  • draft card    indkaldelsesordre
  • draft dodger    militærnægter
  • draft horse    trækhest, arbejdshest

Nederlands (Dutch)
voorontwerp, concept, kladje, tocht, teug, trekje, militaire dienstplicht, lichting, bankpapier, schoorsteenklep, systeem van aantrekken van topsporters, ontwerpen, onder de wapenen roepen, oproepen, indelen

Français (French)
n. - gorgée, avant-projet, brouillon, premier jet, ébauche, (Comm, Fin) traite, effet, (Mil) détachement, (US, Mil) contingent
v. tr. - faire le brouillon de/l'avant-projet de, écrire, préparer, rédiger, (Comm, Fin) rédiger, dresser, esquisser (un plan), (US, Mil) appeler sous les drapeaux, (Mil) détacher/désigner (qn) à, (GB) détacher (du personnel)
v. intr. - faire venir/amener (du personnel, etc), conduire/coller (derrière un véhicule)
adj. - d'un premier jet, d'une ébauche

idioms:

  • draft animal    bête de trait
  • draft card    (US, Mil) ordre d'incorporation
  • draft dodger    (US, Mil) insoumis
  • draft horse    cheval de trait

Deutsch (German)
v. - entwerfen, auswählen, einberufen, abkommandieren
n. - Konzept, Entwurf, Skizze, Durchzug, Luftzug, Sonderkommando, Wehrpflicht, Tratte, gezogener Wechsel
adj. - ausgewählt, zum Ziehen verwendet

idioms:

  • draft animal    Zugtier
  • draft card    Vorversion einer Karte
  • draft dodger    Wehrdienstverweigerer
  • draft horse    Zugpferd

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - στρατολογώ, (επι)στρατεύω, (προ)σχεδιάζω, καταρτίζω προσχέδιο, διατυπώνω, συντάσσω (κείμενο κ.λπ.)
n. - (προ)σχέδιο, σκαρίφημα, πρόχειρο, (οικον.) τραβηκτική, συναλλαγματική, γραμμάτιο, ομάδα επιλεγμένων για συγκεκριμένο έργο, (ΗΠΑ) στρατολογία, επιστράτευση, (ΗΠΑ) ρουφηξιά, ρεύμα

idioms:

  • draft card    (ΗΠΑ) κάρτα στρατολογίας
  • draft dodger    (στρατ.) φυγόστρατος, ανυπότακτος
  • draft horse    στάμενο, άλογο για έλξη

Italiano (Italian)
abbozzare, chiamare alle armi, progettare, progetto, disegno, bozza, bozzetto, corrente d'aria, spiffero, tirata, sorso, distaccamento, coscrizione obbligatoria, tratta, leva

idioms:

  • draft dodger    renitente alla leva
  • draft horse    cavallo da soma

Português (Portuguese)
v. - rascunhar, puxar
n. - rascunho (m), saque (m)

idioms:

  • draft card    carta (f) de convocação
  • draft dodger    insubmisso
  • draft horse    cavalo (m) de tração

Русский (Russian)
составлять черновик, проводить призыв, направлять, черновик, сквозняк, срочная служба, тратта (банковская), отряд

idioms:

  • draft card    удостоверение о призиве на воинскую повинность
  • draft dodger    уклоняющийся от военной службы
  • draft horse    рабочая лошадь

Español (Spanish)
n. - boceto, borrador, bosquejo, corriente, corriente de aire, trago, chupada, sorbo, destacamento, servicio militar, letra, letra de cambio, libranza, servicio militar obligatorio, leva
v. tr. - hacer un borrador, esbozar, llamar a filas, proyectar, formar, trazar
v. intr. - proyectar, chupada
adj. - borrador, bosquejo, leva, de barril, de tiro

idioms:

  • draft animal    animal de tiro
  • draft card    tarjeta de tracción
  • draft dodger    objetor de consciencia
  • draft horse    caballo de tiro

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - ta ut, detachera, göra utkast
n. - uttagning, inkallelse

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
气流, 汇票, 草稿, 起草, 选派, 设计, 征, 拟稿, 紧随前一辆车行驶, 拖重物的, 役用的, 初步写出的, 当场从桶里汲出的

idioms:

  • draft card    征兵证
  • draft dodger    逃避兵役者
  • draft horse    曳马, 驮马

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 氣流, 匯票, 草稿
v. tr. - 起草, 選派, 設計, 徵
v. intr. - 起草, 擬稿, 緊隨前一輛車行駛
adj. - 拖重物的, 役用的, 初步寫出的, 當場從桶裡汲出的

idioms:

  • draft card    徵兵証
  • draft dodger    逃避兵役者
  • draft horse    曳馬, 馱馬

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 도안, 통풍구, 모병, 견인, 어음 발행, 지불 명령서
v. tr. - 기안하다, 밑그림을 그리다, 모병하다, 발탁하다
v. intr. - 제도사로서 기능을 갈고 닦다, (자동차 경주에서) 앞차의 바로 뒤에 달리다
adj. - 견인 용도의, 초안의

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 下書き, 草稿, 通風装置, 為替手形, ひと飲み, 服用量, ドラフト制, 徴兵, 分遣隊
v. - 起草する, 下書きする, 派遣する, 選抜する, 徴集する, とる

idioms:

  • draft card    徴兵カード
  • draft dodger    徴兵忌避者
  • draft horse    荷馬, 引き馬

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يعمل مسودة لشئ ( كتابه أوليه), يختار اشخاص ويرسلهم لمهمه خاصه في مكان ما, يأمر شخص بأداء الخدمه العسكريه (الاسم) شك مصرف, مسودة ( كتابه أوليه لشئ)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮טיוטה, תרשים, יחידה, גיוס, רוח פרצים, הוראה בכתב לתשלום ע"י בנק, מימשך בנקאי, חוליה למשימה מיוחדת, תגבורת‬
v. tr. - ‮ערך טיוטה, בחר למשימה מיוחדת, גייס‬
v. intr. - ‮עבד בשרטוט‬
adj. - ‮מתאים לגרירת משאות, נסיוני, ראשוני (שרטוט)‬


 
 
Related topics:
dft. (abbreviation)
Sight Draft (business term)
Time Draft (in banking)

Related answers:
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