draw on

present singular third person draws on · participle present drawing on · past drew on · participle past drawn on

1. literallyTo sketch or mark with pencil, crayon, etc., on a given surface.
2. also draw uponTo appeal to, make a demand of, rely on; to utilize or make use of, as a source.

   The reporter drew heavily on interviews with former members of the secretive group.

   4 more examples

   Without the proper resources, the young manager drew on his imagination to solve the crisis.

   January 19 1782, Benjamin Franklin, letter to John Jay but I would have you draw on me for a Quarter at present which shall be paid

   Manchester United needed to draw on all their resources as they came from behind to beat Southampton and progress to the last 16 of the FA Cup.

   2011 January 29, Ian Hughes, “Southampton 1 - 2 Man Utd”, in BBC

   He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record.

   2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 162

3. To advance, continue; to move or pass slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force.

   As the day draws on, the oxen will begin to show fatigue.

4. To approach, come nearer, as evening.

   Evening is drawing on; we'd better call it a day.

   1 more example

   In his bones, he sensed winter was drawing on sooner than usual.

5. transitiveTo put on (a garment).

   He heard the silken rustle of a dressing-gown being drawn on.

   1994, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Hippopotamus

6. transitiveTo draw the trigger of a gun, so as to fire upon (something).

   I drew on the pheasant as it rose.