If you draw on or draw upon something such as your skill or experience, you make use of it in order to do something.
He drew on his experience as a yachtsman to make a documentary programme. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
2. phrasal verb
As a period of time draws on, it passes and the end of it gets closer.
As the afternoon drew on we were joined by more of the regulars. [VERBPARTICLE]
See full dictionary entry for draw
draw on in British English
verb
1. (intr, preposition)
to use or exploit (a source, fund, etc)
to draw on one's experience
2. (intr, adverb)
to come near
the time for his interview drew on
3. (tr, preposition)
to withdraw (money) from (an account)
4. (tr, adverb)
to put on (clothes)
5. (tr, adverb)
to lead further; entice or encourage
the prospect of nearing her goal drew her on
draw on in American English
or draw nigh
to approach
See full dictionary entry for draw
Examples of 'draw on' in a sentence
draw on
You get the sense he also saw an opportunity to draw on personal experience.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Time to draw on age and experience.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Older employees can draw on many life skills.
The Sun (2015)
The brothers have been able to draw on the experience of two luxury heavyweights.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Power from busy periods are stored in a battery to be drawn on in quieter times.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He does not have the same store of experience to draw on when times get tough.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This book draws on practical experience as a consultant to businesses of all kinds and sizes for a good many years.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGING FOR RESULTS (1986)
In this era of change, it makes sense to draw on the best expertise available.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There was a direct link between paying in during the good times and drawing on the pool of collective resources in bad times.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It draws on his time as a supply teacher in an undistinguished prep school in north Wales.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She went into the branch and asked for a 4,000 cheque to be drawn on her savings account.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Councils will be able to draw on new funds of 40 million over three years to pay for it.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Did you draw on experience?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There is no need to draw on all their funds, and they can still top up their funds and make contributions.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Each country interacts with the other as it draws on technical skills, experience and training from all parts of the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Like most of his work Heart of Darkness draws on his own experience as a seaman.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
At Everton in October he drew on his own experiences to give a powerful talk to scholars.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It's something he wants to do his own bit to change, drawing on his experience of straddling two cultures.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But I hope we can work in partnership, and draw on the skills of both sectors.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Last week the group met to sign off on the structure of the bid, which will draw on funds from wealthy individuals and rank-and-file fans.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
For spending money, I have been getting a bank draft drawn on my account and made payable to our daughter.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Chinese translation of 'draw on'
draw on
vt fus
[resources] (also draw upon) 凭(憑)借 (píngjiè)
⇒ The company drew on its vast resources to fund the project.公司凭借其大量的资源为这个项目提供资金。 (Gōngsī píngjiè qí dàliàng de zīyuán wèi zhège xiàngmù tígōng zījīn.)
[imagination, knowledge]靠 (kào)
⇒ He drew on his imagination to write about Moscow.他靠想象力描写莫斯科。 (Tā kào xiǎngxiànglì miáoxiě Mòsīkē.)
vi
(= pass) 临(臨)近 (línjìn)
⇒ As the afternoon drew on, we got impatient.随着下午的临近，我们变得不耐烦起来。 (Suízhe xiàwǔ de línjìn, wǒmen biàn de bù nàifán qǐlái.)