draft
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a first version of a piece of writing that will be changed or improved later.
n.a preliminary version of a written work, such as a manuscript, report, or legal document, intended for further revision.
Simple“I need to finish the first draft of my essay by tomorrow morning.”
In context“The legal team submitted a rough draft of the contract for review, noting several clauses that required further negotiation.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a cold current of air that comes into a room or vehicle.
n.a current of cool air in a confined space, typically caused by a lack of insulation or an open window.
Simple“Can you close the window? There is a cold draft in here.”
In context“The old Victorian house was notorious for its drafts, which made the living room nearly impossible to heat during the winter months.”
UsageOften spelled 'draught' in British English.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a system where the government forces people to join the military.
n.compulsory recruitment for military service, often determined by a lottery or specific selection criteria.
Simple“During the war, many young men were called up by the draft.”
In context“The government faced widespread protests after announcing the reinstatement of the draft to bolster the standing army.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a system where professional teams take turns choosing new players.
n.a process in professional sports where teams select players from a pool of eligible candidates, typically from colleges or junior leagues.
Simple“The young quarterback was the first pick in the annual draft.”
In context“The team's strategy for the upcoming draft focused on strengthening their defensive line with high-potential college graduates.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
n.the depth of water a ship needs to stay afloat.
n.the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull, determining the minimum depth of water required for navigation.
Simple“The ship has a deep draft, so it cannot enter the shallow harbour.”
In context“The captain expressed concern that the vessel's draft was too great for the silted canal, risking a grounding at low tide.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to write the first version of something.
v.to prepare a preliminary version of a text or plan, often involving the structuring of core arguments or data.
Simple“She spent the afternoon drafting a letter to the city council.”
In context“The committee spent several weeks drafting the new policy, ensuring that every department's concerns were addressed in the final document.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
v.to choose someone for a specific job or task, often when they did not volunteer.
v.to select or recruit an individual for a specific purpose, role, or duty, often in a formal or compulsory capacity.
Simple“He was drafted into the committee because of his expertise in finance.”
In context“Despite his reluctance to enter politics, he was eventually drafted by the party to run for the vacant senate seat.”
- 08 B1 Intermediate
adj.describing beer or other drinks served from a large container rather than a bottle.
adj.referring to beverages, particularly beer, drawn from a cask or keg through a tap system.
Simple“The bar has several local draft beers for you to try.”
In context“The establishment prides itself on its selection of draft ales, which are maintained at a precise temperature to preserve their flavour profile.”
- 09 C2 Proficiency
adj.describing animals used for pulling heavy things like carts or ploughs.
adj.referring to animals, such as horses or oxen, bred and used for pulling heavy loads or agricultural machinery.
Simple“Draft horses are much larger and stronger than racing horses.”
In context“The farm still employs draft animals for certain tasks where modern tractors would damage the delicate soil structure.”
“As part of its body camera program, Canada's RCMP recently completed a pilot project using AI to draft police reports.”
“Then the Canadian side noticed something in the details of the draft agreement.”
A phonetic spelling of draught (compare laughter), from Middle English draught, draght (“that which is pulled; that which is drawn up, a design”), from Old English dreaht, dræht, from Proto-West Germanic drahti, drahtu, from Proto-Germanic *drahtuz (“a pulling, drawing”). Cognate with Dutch dracht, German Tracht, Icelandic dráttur. By surface analysis, draw + -t.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.