Obs. exc. arch. Forms: see WITH prep. and DRAUGHT sb.; also 5 wedraught, 6 wyddra(u)ght, -drought, weydraught, widdrawte, 6–7 (8–9 arch.) wydraught, 7 widraught. [f. WITH- + DRAUGHT sb., after withdraw.]
1. Withdrawal.
1340. Ayenb., 240. Þe castel of þe wombe … ne may him hyealde aye þane gost þanne he is asterued be uestinges and be wyþdraȝþes.
1437. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 508/2. The … hurtes … doone … to you … in withdraught of your due Custumes. Ibid. (1442), V. 64/2. Withoute fraude, embeselyng or withdraught therof in eny wise.
c. 1475. Partenay, 5927. Thys knight saw hir come, with-draught wold not gette.
1623. T. Adams, Peace-offering (1624), 42. May not a withdraught of all Gods fauours … be … foreseen?
b. spec. Withdrawal from an action in court (= RETRAXIT); a fine or fee imposed for this.
Cf. WITHDRAW sb., quot. 1444.
[? 1402, 1455: see Essex Rev. (1907), XVI. 128, 133.]
1600. Maldon (Essex) Docts., Bundle 162, lf. 3 (MS.). Withdraughts. Item, they are charged with xxxiiii s. by them receyved for lycenses of concord in accions personalls.
1635. Maldon (Essex) Borough Deeds, Bundle 80 No. 2 (MS.). Allowance to the said seriants for collectinge of withdrafts behind.
† 2. A place of retirement or retreat; a retreat; a private chamber, retiring-room; a closet or recess.
1480. Caxton, Myrr., III. xxi. 175. He that hath none other wythdraughte ne other dwellyng place.
1481. Botoner, Tulle on Old Age (Caxton), b vj. [He] fled by the withdraught into the toure of the same castelle.
1509. Will Earl of Oxford (Prerog. Crt. Cant.). ij peces of Rede Worstede vsed to be in the Wydraught of my Chamber.
1530. Palsgr., 288/2. Wydraught, basse chambre; ortraict; retraict.
3. A privy; a sewer: = DRAUGHT sb. 45, 46.
Survives locally in leases.
1493–4. Leicester Borough Rec. (1901), II. 344. For borde & tymbre for the wedraught.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VI. cciv. (1811), 215. Whan the Kynge was at the withdraught to purge nature.
c. 1516. in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 245. A Hows for the comyn wyddrowght of the said College.
1559. Boke Presidentes, 26. The sayde mesuage … with thappurtenances with the pauementes, and wydraughtes of the same.
1671. in Birch, Hist. Charters (1884), 247. That no man shall make or continue any widraughts, seat or seats, for houses of easement.
1702. J. K., New Eng. Dict., A Wy-draught, a Water-course, or Water-passage.
1846. (25 Aug.) Lease (Surrey), Privies, sinks, sewers, wydraughts, drains and houses of office.
1896. Lease, Fences, pavements, gutters, pipes, drains, wydraughts.
