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  • to draw

    From Alexander Koryagin@2:221/1 to All on Fri Nov 21 08:50:32 2025


    Hi, All!

    An interesting verb is "to draw"! My dictionary says about 86 meanings of it. It is interesting for me which meaning the Englishmen imply when they say "drawing-room"? ;-)

    Bye, All!
    Alexander Koryagin

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    * Origin: news://news.fidonet.fi (2:221/1.0)
  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/105 to Alexander Koryagin on Fri Nov 21 08:47:28 2025
    Re: to draw
    By: Alexander Koryagin to All on Fri Nov 21 2025 08:50:32

    An interesting verb is "to draw"! My dictionary says about 86 meanings of it It is interesting for me which meaning the Englishmen imply when they say "drawing-room"? ;-)

    I had to look that one up to remember what it meant. I thought it was like an office but, no, it is a room for entertaining. :O ;)

    Mike
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  • From Dallas Hinton@1:153/7715 to Mike Powell on Fri Nov 21 07:02:39 2025
    Hi, Mike -- on Nov 21 2025 at 08:47, you wrote:

    An interesting verb is "to draw"! My dictionary says about 86 meanings of it It is interesting for me which meaning the Englishmen imply when they say "drawing-room"? ;-)

    I had to look that one up to remember what it meant. I thought it
    was like an office but, no, it is a room for entertaining. :O ;)

    The term most likely comes from the idea that people could "withdraw" from one area to another, hence "withdrawing room" which migrated to "drawing room". It's from a much more formal time than today!


    Cheers... Dallas

    --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
    * Origin: The BandMaster, Vancouver, CANADA (1:153/7715)
  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/105 to Dallas Hinton on Fri Nov 21 15:03:59 2025
    Re: to draw
    By: Dallas Hinton to Mike Powell on Fri Nov 21 2025 07:02:39

    The term most likely comes from the idea that people could "withdraw" from o area to another, hence "withdrawing room" which migrated to "drawing room". It's from a much more formal time than today!

    RE: Drawing Room

    After reading the definition, I wondered if it wasn't named as such as it was meant to "draw" people into it to gather. ;) Your idea also makes sense.

    Mike
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    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)
  • From Ardith Hinton@1:153/716 to Alexander Koryagin on Sun Nov 30 23:46:11 2025
    Hi, Alexander! Recently you wrote in a message to All:

    An interesting verb is "to draw"! My dictionary says about
    86 meanings of it.


    I understand the problem. I also note with interest that you've read stories about Amelia Bedelia, who got confused when told to "draw a bath".



    It is interesting for me which meaning the Englishmen imply
    when they say "drawing-room"? ;-)


    If you include the hyphen, as 2/3 of my favourite sources do, you may find it listed in a separate entry a bit further down the page.

    While I'm told there are "drawing-rooms" in Buckingham Palace I guess the audience here is of more modest means. You may see such a room referred to as a "parlour" in writings from +/- a century ago where it was a formal room in which people entertained the rector of the local parish when he paid his annual visit. For most of us it's simply a room where people relax & entertain guests
    ... as Mike says. Close friends & family might gather around the kitchen table or in another less formal area when the residents can provide the space needed. When they can't, I think most Canadians would probably say "living room".

    IIRC some older ex-Brit friends of ours often referred to such a room as a "sitting room"... but this usage appears to be fairly rare Over Here. :-)




    --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)