What does "draught" mean?
Alternative form of draft in some of its senses.
Draught
/dɹɑːft/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative form of draft in some of its senses.
- Grammar: draught is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abbreviation, abbreviature, abrege, abridgment.
- Usage evidence: A small portion of ham, please, and a draught beer.
How to use "draught"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "draught" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "draught" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "draught" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "draught" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "draught" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abbreviation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "draught", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Alternative form of draft in some of its senses. UK, alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
"She could feel a draught where she was sitting."
- 2 the act of moving a load by drawing or pulling wordnet
- 3 A checker: a game piece used in the game of draughts. British, countable, uncountable
- 4 a large and hurried swallow wordnet
- 5 Ale: a type of beer brewed using top-fermenting yeast. Australia, countable, uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 a dose of liquid medicine wordnet
- 7 A mild vesicatory. UK, countable, obsolete, uncountable
- 8 the depth of a vessel's keel below the surface (especially when loaded) wordnet
- 9 An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"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?"
- 10 a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg wordnet
- 11 Any picture or drawing. UK, countable, obsolete, uncountable
"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."
- 12 a current of air (usually coming into a chimney or room or vehicle) wordnet
- 13 A sudden attack upon an enemy. UK, countable, obsolete, uncountable
"drawing sudden draughts upon the enemy when he looketh not for you"
Verb
- 1 Alternative spelling of draft. UK, alt-of, alternative
"The Parliament so often draughted and drained."
- 2 make a blueprint of wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Alternative spelling of draft UK, alt-of, alternative, not-comparable
"draught beer or cider"
Example
"A small portion of ham, please, and a draught beer."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "draught"?
Common synonyms include: abbreviation, abbreviature, abrege, abridgment, abstract, acceptance.
How do you use "draught" in a sentence?
A small portion of ham, please, and a draught beer.
How do you pronounce "draught"?
Pronounced /dɹɑːft/.
Etymology
From Middle English draught, draght, draȝt, from Old English *dreaht, *dræht (related to dragan (“to draw, drag”)), from Proto-Germanic *drahtuz, noun form of *draganą; equivalent to draw + -t.