draught

Universal Words noun, adjective, verb noun 1 [C] a flow of cool air in a room or other enclosed 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 [C] (formal) one continuous action of swallowing liquid; the amount swallowed: He took a deep draught of his beer. 3 [C] (old use or literary) medicine in a liquid form: a sleeping draught (= one that makes you sleep) 4 (draughts) (BrE) (AmE checkers) [U] a game for two players using 24 round pieces on a board marked with black and white squares 5 [C] (BrE) (AmE checker) one of the round pieces used in a game of draughts IDIOMS on draught (BrE) (of beer) taken from a large container (= a BARREL): This beer is not available on draught (= it is available only in bottles or cans). adjective 1 [usuallybeforenoun] served from a large container (= a BARREL) rather than in a bottle: draught beer 2 [onlybeforenoun] used for pulling heavy loads: a draught horse verb [VN] (especially BrE) = DRAFT