# "Draw the blinds" means? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 14, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081 "2024-01-14T20:18:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081/41 "2024-01-17T16:12:34Z")
“drew **into** the station” currently has 23,500 hits “drew **in to** the station” currently has 1.5 million. so “drew out” is less frequently used, but a long, long way from “never” ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081/42 "2024-01-21T07:36:29Z")
I’m reminded of Wilfred Owen’s _Anthem For Doomed Youth_ (1917, when it was still a custom to lower window blinds on a death in the family): _What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes. The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds._ ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2024, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081/43 "2024-01-25T14:06:36Z")
All of those are consistent with “draw” being related to “pull”. It’s not generic motion, it’s pulling motion. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081/44 "2024-01-28T07:07:18Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > [@leahcim](#): > > > > Indeed. I’d think of it meaning, “produce a picture of the blinds using pencil and paper” before “open the blinds”. > > [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f\_auto,q\_auto:good,fl\_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fac5dc0df-0ebf-49ee-92e0-7b8fd2baef2b\_1106x1600.jpeg](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fac5dc0df-0ebf-49ee-92e0-7b8fd2baef2b_1106x1600.jpeg) My thought exactly! Thanks for saving me the trouble of looking that picture up! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081/45 "2024-01-28T07:09:22Z")
I defer to the great Jerry Garcia on this topic; _Dawn is breaking everywhere Light a candle, curse the glare Draw the curtains, I don’t care_ The lyrics of “Touch of Grey” make it clear that drawing the curtains is done to keep the sunlight out of the room, I.e. closing them. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081/46 "2024-01-28T07:09:30Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > > [@pulykamell](#): > > > > I’ve always thought it means to close the curtains. But upon reading the OP’s question, I actually started second-guessing myself. > > Me too. We obviously also have the phrase ‘draw the curtains’ which to me could be either opening or closing. But with blinds, my instinct was to close them. My instinct is to go into the room and see how the blinds already are, and then do the opposite to them. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081/47 "2024-01-28T09:17:33Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The lyrics of “Touch of Grey” make it clear that drawing the curtains is done to keep the sunlight out of the room, I.e. closing them. Until whomever Jerry Garcia is establishes more linguistic authority than the Oxford English Dictionary we’ll consider their view nowt but an ambit claim. > **[curtain, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary](https://www.oed.com/dictionary/curtain_n?tl=true)** > > curtain, n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary 1.b. to draw the curtain: (a) To draw it back or aside, so as to discover what is behind; (b) to draw it forward in front of an object, so as to cover or conceal it… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draw-the-blinds-means/996081.md?page=2)