drawer /drɔː ə r / (drawers )
1 N‑COUNT A drawer is part of a desk, chest, or other piece of furniture that is shaped like a box and is designed for putting things in. You pull it towards you to open it. □ He opened a drawer in his writing-table.
2 → see also chest of drawers
draw|ing /drɔː I ŋ/ (drawings )
1 N‑COUNT A drawing is a picture made with a pencil or pen. □ [+ of ] She did a drawing of me.
2 → see also draw
dra w|ing board (drawing boards ) in AM, use drawing-board 1 N‑COUNT A drawing board is a large flat board, often fixed to a metal frame so that it looks like a desk, on which you place your paper when you are drawing or designing something.
2 PHRASE If you say that you will have to go back to the drawing board , you mean that something which you have done has not been successful and that you will have to start again or try another idea.
dra w|ing pin (drawing pins ) also drawing-pin N‑COUNT A drawing pin is a short pin with a broad, flat top which is used for fastening papers or pictures to a board, wall, or other surface. [BRIT ] in AM, use thumbtack
dra w|ing room (drawing rooms ) N‑COUNT A drawing room is a room, especially a large room in a large house, where people sit and relax, or entertain guests. [FORMAL ]
drawl /drɔː l/ (drawls , drawling , drawled ) VERB If someone drawls , they speak slowly and not very clearly, with long vowel sounds. □ [V with quote] 'I guess you guys don't mind if I smoke?' he drawled. □ [V ] He has a deep voice and he drawls slightly. ● N‑COUNT Drawl is also a noun. □ …Jack's southern drawl.
drawn /drɔː n/
1 Drawn is the past participle of draw .
2 ADJ If someone or their face looks drawn , their face is thin and they look very tired, ill, worried, or unhappy. □ She looked drawn and tired when she turned towards me.
dra wn-ou t ADJ You can describe something as drawn-out when it lasts or takes longer than you would like it to. □ The road to peace will be long and drawn-out.
draw|string /drɔː str I ŋ/ (drawstrings ) also draw-string N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft N n] A drawstring is a cord that goes through an opening, for example at the top of a bag or a pair of trousers. When the cord is pulled tighter, the opening gets smaller. □ …a velvet bag with a drawstring.
dray /dre I / (drays ) N‑COUNT A dray is a large flat cart with four wheels which is pulled by horses.
dread /dre d/ (dreads , dreading , dreaded )
1 VERB If you dread something which may happen, you feel very anxious and unhappy about it because you think it will be unpleasant or upsetting. □ [V n/v-ing] I'm dreading Christmas this year. □ [V that] I'd been dreading that the birth would take a long time. [Also V to-inf]
2 N‑UNCOUNT Dread is a feeling of great anxiety and fear about something that may happen. □ She thought with dread of the cold winters to come.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Dread means terrible and greatly feared. [LITERARY ] □ …a more effective national policy to combat this dread disease.
4 → see also dreaded
5 PHRASE If you say that you dread to think what might happen, you mean that you are anxious about it because it is likely to be very unpleasant. □ I dread to think what will happen in the case of a major emergency.
dread|ed /dre d I d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Dreaded means terrible and greatly feared. □ No one knew how to treat this dreaded disease.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use the dreaded to describe something that you, or a particular group of people, find annoying, inconvenient, or undesirable. [INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ She's a victim of the dreaded hay fever.
dread|ful /dre dfʊl/
1 ADJ If you say that something is dreadful , you mean that it is very bad or unpleasant, or very poor in quality. □ They told us the dreadful news. ● dread|fully ADV [ADV with v] □ You behaved dreadfully.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Dreadful is used to emphasize the degree or extent of something bad. [EMPHASIS ] □ We've made a dreadful mistake. ● dread|fully ADV [ADV adj, ADV after v] □ He looks dreadfully ill.
3 ADJ If someone looks or feels dreadful , they look or feel very ill, tired, or upset. □ Are you all right? You look dreadful.
dread|locked /dre dlɒkt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A dreadlocked person has their hair in dreadlocks. [WRITTEN ] □ …the dreadlocked Rastafarian, Bob Marley.
dread|locks /dre dlɒks/ N‑PLURAL If someone has dreadlocks , their hair is divided into a large number of tight strips, like pieces of rope. Dreadlocks are worn especially by men who are Rastafarians.
dream ◆◆◇ /driː m/ (dreams , dreaming , dreamed , dreamt ) American English uses the form dreamed as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either dreamed or dreamt . 1 N‑COUNT A dream is an imaginary series of events that you experience in your mind while you are asleep. □ He had a dream about Claire. □ I had a dream that I was in an old study, surrounded by leather books.
2 VERB When you dream , you experience imaginary events in your mind while you are asleep. □ [V that] Ivor dreamed that he was on a bus. □ [V + about/of ] She dreamed about her baby. [Also V ]