draught

plural draughts

1. UKalternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of draft in some of its senses.

   She could feel a draught where she was sitting.

   5 more examples

   […]he sayde vnto Simon: Cary vs into the depe, and lett slippe thy nett to make a draught.

   1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Luke

   “Drink and pass!” he cried, handing the heavy charged flagon to the nearest seaman. “The crew alone now drink. Round with it, round! Short draughts—long swallows, men; ’tis hot as Satan’s hoof.

   1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 36”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC

   Finally I gave him a draught, and he sank into uneasy slumber.

   1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 35”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC

   Much as I wish that I had not to write this chapter, I know that I shall have to swallow many such bitter draughts in the course of this narrative. And I cannot do otherwise, if I claim to be a worshipper of Truth. […]

   1927-29, M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, translated 1940 by Mahadev Desai, Part I, Chapter iii

   All the L.N.E.R. Clyde vessels are paddle-propelled, because of the shallow draught at Craigendoran Pier.

   1946 July and August, “Notes and News: The War Effect on the Clyde Steamers”, in Railway Magazine, page 324

2. UKcountableuncountableA checker: a game piece used in the game of draughts.

   Synonyms: checker

3. AustraliacountableuncountableAle: a type of beer brewed using top-fermenting yeast.
4. UKcountableobsoleteuncountablemedicineA mild vesicatory.
5. UKcountableobsoleteuncountableAn outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.

   Rid me these Villaines from your companies; / Hang them, or stab them, drowne them in a draught, / Confound them by some course, and come to me, / Ile giue you Gold enough.

   c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

   1 more example

   Then sayde Jesus: are ye yett withoute understondinge? perceave ye not, that whatsoever goeth in at the mouth, descendeth doune into the bely, and ys cast out into the draught?

   1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew

   Synonyms: draught-house

6. UKcountableobsoleteuncountableAny picture or drawing.

   And therefore, for the whole process, and full representation, there must be more than one draught; the one representing him in station, the other in session, another in genuflexion.

   1650, Thomas Browne, chapter V, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 22

7. UKcountableobsoleteuncountableA sudden attack upon an enemy.

   drawing sudden draughts upon the enemy when he looketh not for you

   1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande […], Dublin: […] Societie of Stationers, […], →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland […] (Ancient Irish Histories), Dublin: […] Society of Stationers, […] Hibernia Press, […] [b]y John Morrison, 1809, →OCLC

1. UKalternativenot comparableAlternative spelling of draft

   draught beer or cider

   1 more example

   draught oxen, a draught horse

present singular third person draughts · participle present draughting · participle past draughted · past draughted

1. UKalternativeAlternative spelling of draft.

   The Parliament so often draughted and drained.

   1826, [Walter Scott], Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC