Draft

Draft is a term with several distinct meanings, often linked by the idea of an initial or guiding version, current, or depth.

In writing and design, draft refers to a preliminary version of a document, plan, or drawing that is created to be revised into a final form. The act of creating a draft is known as drafting, and drafts are typically iterated through revisions before completion.

In law and public administration, draft commonly denotes a system of military conscription. A draft selects individuals for compulsory service, sometimes through registration, lotteries, or exemptions. The term can also be used more broadly to describe the process of selecting people for a team, project, or program, such as a sports draft.

In nautical contexts, draft or draught is the vertical distance between the waterline and the lowest point of a ship’s hull. It indicates how deeply the vessel sits in the water and affects port clearance, seaworthiness, and routing through shallower waters.

In meteorology and building science, a draft is a current of air moving through a space, caused by differences in temperature or pressure, or by openings and ventilation. A space with noticeable drafts is described as drafty and can influence comfort and energy efficiency.

In beverages, draught (spelled with a “draught” in British English) refers to beer served from a keg or cask rather than from a bottle or can. In American usage, beer served this way is typically called draft beer.

Finally, in drafting and technical professions, drafting is the process of preparing precise technical drawings or plans, often using specialized tools or computer-aided design software.