[draw up]{v.} 1. To write (something) in its correct form; put inwriting. •/The rich man had his lawyers draw up his will so that each of hischildren would receive part of his money when he died./ 2. To plan orprepare; begin to write out. •/The two countries drew up a peace treaty afterthe war ended./ •/Plans are being drawn up for a new school next year./Compare: WRITE UP. 3. To hold yourself straight or stiffly, especially becauseyou are proud or angry. •/When we said that Mary was getting fat, she drewherself up angrily and walked out of the room./ 4. To stop or come to a stop.•/The cowboy drew up his horse at the top of the hill./ •/A big black cardrew up in front of the house./ Syn.: PULL UP.

[dread] See: BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.

[dream of]{v.} To think about seriously; think about with the idea ofreally doing; consider seriously. — Usually used with a negative. •/Iwouldn’t dream of wearing shorts to church./

[dressing down]{n.}, {informal} A scolding. •/The sergeant gavethe soldier a good dressing down because his shoes were not shined./

[dress a window] See: WINDOW DRESSING.

[dress like a million dollars] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.

[dress up]{v.} 1a. To put on best or special clothes. •/Billy hatedbeing dressed up and took off his best suit as soon as he got home fromchurch./ 1b. To put on a costume for fun or clothes for a part in a play.•/Mary was dressed up to play Cinderella in her school play./ 2. To make(something) look different; make (something) seem better or more important.•/A fresh coat of paint will dress up the old bicycle very much./ •/Tommydressed up the story of what he did on vacation and made it seem twice asinteresting as it was./

[dressed fit to kill] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.

[dressed like a peacock] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.

[dribs and drabs]{n. phr.} Portions; small bits. •/John paid Oliverback what he owed him in dribs and drabs./

[drift off]{v. phr.} 1. To fall asleep, •/He kept nodding anddrifting off to sleep while the lecturer was speaking./ 2. To depart; leavegradually. •/One by one, the sailboats drifted off over the horizon./

[drink down]{v. phr.} To drink in one gulp; swallow entirely.•/Steve was so thirsty that he drank down six glasses of orange juice inrapid succession./

[drink in]{v. phr.} To absorb with great interest. •/The touristsstood on the beach drinking in the wonderful Hawaiian sunset./

[drink like a fish]{v. phr.} To drink (alcoholic beverages) in greatquantities; to be addicted to alcohol. •/John is a nice guy but,unfortunately, he drinks like a fish./

[drink up]{v. phr.} To finish drinking; empty one’s glass. •/"Drinkup that cough syrup," the nurse said, "and never mind the taste,"/

[drive] See: LINE DRIVE.

[drive a bargain]{v. phr.} 1. To buy or sell at a good price; succeedin a trade or deal. •/Tom’s collie is a champion; it should be easy for Tomto drive a bargain when he sells her puppies./ •/Father drove a hardbargain with the real estate agent when we bought our new house./ 2. To makean agreement that is better for you than for the other person; make anagreement to your advantage. •/The French drove a hard bargain in demandingthat Germany pay fully for World War I damages./

[drive a hard bargain] See: DRIVE A BARGAIN.

[drive at]{v.} To try or want to say; mean. — Used in the presentparticiple. •/John did not understand what the coach was driving at./•/He had been talking for half an hour before anyone realized what he wasdriving at./

[drive home]{v. phr.} To argue convincingly; make a strong point.•/The doctor’s convincing arguments and explanation of his X-ray picturesdrove home the point to Max that he needed surgery./

[drive-in]{adj.}/{n.} A kind of movie theater, fast foodrestaurant, or church, where the customers, spectators, or worshippers do notleave their automobiles but are served the food inside their cars, can watch amotion picture from inside their cars, or can participate in a religiousservice in their cars. •/Let’s not waste time on the road; let’s just eat atthe next drive-in restaurant./ •/There is a drive-in theater not far fromwhere we live./ •/Max and Hilde go to a drive-in church every Sunday./

[drive like Jehu]{v. phr.}, {informal} To drive very fast,carelessly or recklessly. •/When Joe is late for work, he drives likeJehu./

[drive one ape], [bananas], [crazy], [mad] or [nuts] {v.phr.}, {informal} To irritate, frustrate, or tickle someone’s fancy sobadly that they think they are going insane. •/"Stop teasing me, Mary," Johnsaid. "You are driving me nuts."/ •/"You are driving me bananas with allyour crazy riddles," Steve said./

[drive one round the bend]{v. phr.}, {informal} To upset someoneso much that they think they are going crazy. •/"Slow down, please," MissJones cried. "You are driving me around the bend!"/ Contrast: DRIVE ONE APE,BANANAS, ETC.

[driver] See: BACKSEAT DRIVER.

[drive to the wall]{v. phr.} To defeat someone completely; to ruinsomeone. •/Poor Uncle Jack was driven to the wall by his angry creditors whenhis business failed./ Compare: GO TO THE WALL.

[drive someone bananas] or [drive someone nuts] or [drive someoneape] {v. phr.}, {slang} {informal} To excite someone to the pointthat he or she goes out of his or her mind; to drive someone crazy. •/You’redriving me bananas/nuts with that kind of talk!]

[drop] See: AT THE DROP OF A HAT, BOTTOM DROP OUT, JAW DROP or JAW DROP AMILE.

[drop a line]{v. phr.} To write someone a short letter or note.•/Please drop me a line when you get to Paris; I’d like to know that you’vearrived safely./

[drop back]{v.} To move or step backwards; retreat. •/The soldiersdropped back before the enemy’s attack./ •/The quarterback dropped back topass the football./ Compare: DRAW BACK, FADE BACK, FALL BACK.

[drop by] or [stop by] {v.} 1. or [drop around] To make a shortor unplanned visit; go on a call or errand; stop at someone’s home. •/Drop byany time you’re in town./ •/Mv sister dropped around last night./•/Don’t forget to stop by at the gas station./ Syn.: DROP IN. 2. or [dropinto] To stop (somewhere) for a short visit or a short time. •/We droppedby the club to see if Bill was there, but he wasn’t./ •/I dropped into thedrugstore for some toothpaste and a magazine./

[drop by the wayside] See: FALL BY THE WAYSIDE.

[drop dead]{v.}, {slang} To go away or be quiet; stop botheringsomeone. — Usually used as a command, •/"Drop dead!" Bill told his littlesister when she kept begging to help him build his model airplane./ •/WhenSally bumped into Kate’s desk and spilled ink for the fifth time, Kate told herto drop dead./ Compare: BEAT IT, GET LOST.

[drop in]{v.} To make a short or unplanned visit; pay a call. — Oftenused with "on". •/We were just sitting down to dinner when Uncle Williedropped in./ •/The Smiths dropped in on some old friends on their vacationtrip to New York./ Syn.: DROP BY, RUN IN(2).

[drop in the bucket]{n. phr.} A relatively small amount; a small partof the whole. •/Our university needs several million dollars for its buildingrenovation project; $50,000 is a mere drop in the bucket./