draught

Etymology

From Middle English draught, draght, draȝt, from Old English *dreaht, *dræht (related to dragan (“to draw, drag”)), from Proto-Germanic *drahtuz, noun form of *draganą; equivalent to draw + -t.

noun

1. (British spelling) Alternative form of draft in some of its senses.
   She could feel a draught where she was sitting. Sense 1 of draft
   Senses 17, 18 of draft:
   Senses 3, 4 of draft:
   Sense 5 of draft:
   Much as I wish that I had not to write this chapter, I know that I shall have to swallow many such bitter draughts in the course of this narrative. And I cannot do otherwise, if I claim to be a worshipper of Truth. […] Senses 4, 5 of draft: 1927-29, M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, translated 1940 by Mahadev Desai, Part I, Chapter iii
   1946 July and August, “Notes and News: The War Effect on the Clyde Steamers”, in Railway Magazine, page 324: All the L.N.E.R. Clyde vessels are paddle-propelled, because of the shallow draught at Craigendoran Pier. Sense 7 of draft
2. (Britain) A checker: a game piece used in the game of draughts.
3. (Australia) Ale: a type of beer brewed using top-fermenting yeast.
4. (UK, medicine, obsolete) A mild vesicatory.
5. (obsolete) An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
6. (UK, obsolete) Any picture or drawing.
7. (UK, obsolete) A sudden attack upon an enemy.

adj

1. (British spelling) The British form of draft.
   draught beer or cider
   draught oxen, a draught horse

verb

1. (British spelling) Alternative spelling of draft