draught

I. draught¹ /drɑːft $ dræft/ BrE AmE noun [countable] British English
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old English; Origin: dragan 'to pull'; ⇨ ↑draw¹]
1. AIR cold air that moves through a room and that you can feel SYN draft American English:
Can you close the window? I’m in a draught.
2. BEER on draught beer that is on draught is served from a large container rather than a bottle SYN on draft American English
3. GAME
a) draughts [uncountable] a game played by two people, each with 12 round pieces, on a board of 64 squares SYN checkers American English
b) one of the round pieces used in the game of draughts SYN checker American English
4. MEDICINE old use a medicine that you drink:
a sleeping draught
5. SHIP technical the depth of water needed by a ship so that it will not touch the bottom of the sea, a river etc SYN draft American English
6. SWALLOW written the act of swallowing liquid, or the amount of liquid swallowed at one time SYN draft American English:
Mick took a long draught of lager.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ wind air moving in a current, especially strongly or quickly: A cold wind was blowing from the east. | Strong winds caused damage to many buildings.
▪ breeze a gentle pleasant wind: The trees were moving gently in the breeze. | A slight breeze ruffled her hair.
▪ draught British English, draft American English /drɑːft $ dræft/ a current of cool air which blows into a room, especially one that makes you feel uncomfortable: There’s a bit of a draught in here – can you close the door?

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

draught

draught [draught draughts draughted draughting] [drɑːft] [drɑːft] (BrE) (NAmE draft) noun, adjective, verb

noun
1. countable a flow of cool air in a room or other confined space
• There's a draught in here.
• A cold draught of air blew in from the open window.
• I was sitting in a draught.

• She shivered in the icy draught.

2. countable (formal) one continuous action of swallowing liquid; the amount swallowed

• He took a deep draught of his beer.

3. countable (old use or literary) medicine in a liquid form

• a sleeping draught (= one that makes you sleep)

4. draughts (BrE) (NAmE check·ers) uncountable a game for two players using 24 round pieces on a board marked with black and white squares

5. countable (BrE) (NAmE check·er) one of the round pieces used in a game of draughts
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘drawing, pulling’; also ‘something drawn, a load’): from Old Norse dráttr, of Germanic origin; related to German Tracht, also to draw. Compare with draft.
Example Bank:
• Fit draught excluders to the bottoms of doors.
• a draught coming under the door
• the draught from the window
• I was sitting in a draught.
• There's a draught in here.

Idiom: on draught

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

draught UK ( US draft ) / drɑːft / / dræft / noun [ C ] (COLD AIR)

C1 a current of unpleasantly cold air blowing through a room

draught UK , specialized ( US draft ) / drɑːft / / dræft / noun [ C ] (BOATS)

the depth of water needed for a boat to be able to float:

A punt has a shallow draught.

draught UK ( US draft ) / drɑːft / / dræft / noun [ U ] (BEER)

a system of storing and serving drinks from large containers, especially barrels:

Is the lager on draught or is it bottled?

draught UK ( US draft ) / drɑːft / / dræft / noun (GAME)

draughts [ U ] UK ( US checkers )

a game for two people, each with twelve circular pieces that they move on a board with black and white squares

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

draught

[drɑ͟ːft, dræ̱ft]
draughts
(in AM, use draft)
1) N-COUNT A draught is a current of air that comes into a place in an undesirable way.
  Block draughts around doors and windows...
  On a cold day there can be quite a draught from the letterbox.
2) ADJ: usu ADJ n Draught beer is beer which is kept in barrels rather than bottles.
  Draught beer is available too.
  ●
  PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR Beer that is on draught is kept in and served from a barrel rather than a bottle.
  They drink bitter on draught in the local bar.
  Syn:
  on tap
3) N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n A draught of liquid is a large amount that you swallow.
  He took a draught of beer...
  Having added more fruit juice on top, drink it down in one draught.
4) N-UNCOUNT Draughts is a game for two people, played with 24 round pieces on a board. [BRIT]
  He was in the study playing draughts by the fire with Albert.(in AM, use checkers)
5) N-COUNT A draught is one of the round pieces which are used in the game of draughts. [BRIT](in AM, use checker)
6) ADJ: ADJ n A draught animal is one which pulls heavy loads, for example on a farm.
  ...an Irish draught mare.
7) N-COUNT: usu supp N A draught is a medicine in the form of a liquid which you drink. [OLD-FASHIONED]
  One of the night-duty nuns gave her a sleeping draught.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹draft /ˈdræft, Brit ˈdrɑːft/ noun, pl drafts
1 [count] : a version of something (such as a document) that you make before you make the final version
• The published poem differs quite a bit from earlier drafts.
• I just completed a rough draft [=a first version that needs a lot of editing and rewriting] of my speech.
• The final draft [=the final version] is due tomorrow.
2 US draft or Brit draught [count] : cool air moving in a closed space (such as a room)
• You may want to seal the windows with plastic to stop drafts.
3 [count] US
a : a system in which young people are required to join the armed forces of a country for a period of service - usually singular
• There is debate about whether the country needs a draft.
• Congress reinstated the draft.
- often used before another noun
• He burned his draft card.
• He's a draft dodger. [=a person who illegally avoids joining the armed forces]
b : a system by which professional sports teams choose players from college or high school teams - usually singular
• He was chosen in the first round of the draft.
- often used before another noun
• draft day
• He was a first-round draft pick.
4 US draft or Brit draught [count] formal + literary : an act of drinking something also; : the amount swallowed at one time
• He took a big draft of beer.
5 US draft or Brit draught [count] : a beer that is stored in and poured from a large container
• The bar has 15 different drafts on tap.
6 : an order for the payment of money from a person or bank to another person or bank

[count]

• The bank issued a draft.

[noncount]

• Payment must be made by bank draft.
7 US draft or Brit draught technical
a : the depth of water that a boat needs in order to be able to float

[count]

- usually singular
• a boat with a deep/shallow draft

[noncount]

• a ship with 45 feet of draft
b [noncount] : the depth of the water in a river, channel, etc.
• a canal/channel that provides 60 feet of draft
8 draught [count] Brit : ²checker
on draft US or Brit on draught of beer : stored in and poured from a large container instead of in individual bottles or cans
• The bar has beer on draft. [=on tap]