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[drag race]{n.}, {slang} An automobile race in which the drivers try to cover a certain distance (usually one quarter mile) in the shortest possible time. •/Drag races are often held on airport landing strips./ •/Holding drag races is a good way to stop teenage hot rod racing on public highways./ Compare: DRAG STRIP.

[drag strip]{n.}, {slang} A place where drag races are held. •/Before the race Paul loaded his racer onto the trailer to take it out of town to the drag strip for the race./ Compare: DRAG RACE.

[drain] See: DOWN THE DRAIN.

[draw] See: BEAT TO THE PUNCH or BEAT TO THE DRAW.

[draw a bead on]{v. phr.}{informal} 1. To aim at; sight (with a gun). •/The deer bounded into the forest before the hunters could draw a bead on them./ •/John drew a bead on the elk, but didn’t have the heart to pull the trigger./ 2. To take (something) as an aim or goal. •/"I’m drawing a bead on the Literary Society president’s office," said Tom./ 3. To use as a target of attack; criticize. •/Whenever a politician makes a mistake, his opponents are ready to draw a bead on him./

[draw a blank]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To obtain nothing in return for an effort made or to get a negative result. •/I looked up all the Joneses in the telephone book but I drew a blank every time I asked for Archibald Jones./ 2. To fail to remember something. •/I am trying to think of the name but I keep drawing a blank./ 3. To be consistently unsuccessful at doing something. •/I keep trying to pass that math exam but each time I try it I draw a blank./

[draw a conclusion]{v. phr.} To make an inference. •/After he failed to keep an appointment with me for the third time, I drew the conclusion that he was an unreliable person./

[draw a line] or [draw the line] {v. phr.} 1. To think of as different. •/The law in this country draws a line between murder and manslaughter./ •/Can you draw the line between a lie and a fib?/ 2. To set a limit to what will be done; say something cannot be done. •/We would like to invite everybody to our party, but we have to draw a line somewhere./ — Often used with "at". •/Mrs. Jones draws the line at permitting the children to play in their father’s den./ •/People fighting for their freedom often do not draw the line at murder./

[draw a long breath] or [take a long breath] {v. phr.} To breathe deeply when getting ready to speak or act. •/Father asked who broke the window. Jim drew a long breath and admitted that he had done it./ •/The salesman took a long breath and started his talk./

[draw a parallel]{v. phr.} To make a comparison. •/It is easy to draw a parallel between the characters of Saint Francis of Assisi and Great Saint Theresa of Aquila, but this doesn’t mean that all saints are alike./

[draw and quarter]{v. phr.}, {literary} 1. To execute someone in the barbaric medieval fashion of having him torn into four pieces by four horses tearing his body in four different directions. •/The captured foreign marauders were drawn and quartered by the angry citizens of ancient Frankfurt./ 2. To punish someone very severely. •/"If you miss another homework assignment, John," the teacher said, "I’ll have you drawn and quartered."/