drawer

noun

draw·​er ˈdrȯ(-ə)r 

1

: one that draws: such as

a

: a person who causes liquor to come out of a container : one who draws (see draw entry 1 sense 1b) liquor

b

: draftsman

c

: one that draws (see draw entry 1 sense transitive 7) a bill of exchange or order for payment or makes a promissory note

2

 dialectal also  ˈdrȯ

: a sliding box or receptacle opened by pulling out and closed by pushing in

kept the letters in the top drawer of her dresser

in the silverware drawer

3

 dialectal also  ˈdrȯ

drawers plural : an article of clothing (such as underwear) for the lower body

a clean pair of drawers

drawerful

ˈdrȯ(-ə)r-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Examples of drawer in a Sentence

the top drawer of the desk

There are some pens in my desk drawer.

He stood there in only his drawers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Keep scrolling for more kitchen storage must-haves below, including a pull-out wire drawer with over 1,000 five-star ratings. —Clint Davis, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025

Some cooler drawers under a grill were not able to keep a cold enough ambient temperature due to damaged gaskets. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2025

Fold down the legs and use it in a drawer for spice organization, too. —Heather Bien, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025

There was only one copy, kept in a file drawer in case it was ever needed. —Mark Harris, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English drawer, draghere, from drawen "to draw entry 1" + -er, -ere -er entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing drawer

• bottom drawer
• top drawer

Rhymes for drawer

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

Kids Definition

drawer

noun

draw·​er ˈdrȯ(-ə)r 

1

: one that draws

2

: a sliding boxlike compartment (as in a desk)

3

plural : an undergarment for the lower part of the body

Legal Definition

drawer

noun

draw·​er ˈdrȯ-ər 

: the party that draws a draft compare drawee, payee