drawl

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to speak slowly, prolonging vowel sounds

   He began to drawl each answer as though he had all day.

2. 2
   noun

   a slow manner of speech characterized by prolonged vowels

   Her calm drawl made every sentence sound unhurried.

Probably a frequentative formation from draw, with the sense 'draw out or prolong'. It has been compared with Dutch dralen 'to delay or linger' and related Scandinavian words, but its exact development is uncertain.

Topics