outdraw

outdraw

English

Etymology

From Middle English outdrauen, outdrawen, from Old English ūtdragan, from Proto-Germanic *ūtdraganą, equivalent to out- +‎ draw. Cognate with Saterland Frisian uutdreege, West Frisian útdrage (“to carry out”), Dutch uitdragen (“to carry out”), German austragen (“to deal with; deliver”), Icelandic útdraga (“to extract; draw out”).

Verb

outdraw (third-person singular simple present outdraws, present participle outdrawing, simple past outdrew, past participle outdrawn)

1. To extract or draw out.
2. (Wild West) To remove a gun from its holster, and fire it, faster than another.
   • 1984, Leonard Cohen, "Hallelujah" (song)

     Well maybe there's a God above, but all I've ever learned from love, was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you.

3. To attract a larger crowd than.
4. To draw better than; to surpass in creating drawn artworks.
   • 2003, Bhob Stewart, Bill Pearson, Roger Hill, Against the Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood (page 313)

     Certainly he could outdraw just about anybody, and he knew how to tell a story, seamlessly weaving words and pictures together.

Anagrams

• draw out, outward