The Nomad wrote on Mon, 22 Oct 2012
On Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:07:49 +0100, Janet Tweedy wrote:

In article , Lewis
writes
I thought 'draw the curtains' meant "open them", but drawn curtains were
closed.


Oh now i would think "draw the curtains" meant close them.

FWIIW

In my family it can mean either - you workout which, based on the current
state.

This is one of those words that I feel I never certainly remember the
meaning of, probably because I've included in my mental encoding, "It's
the opposite of what you think", and then can not remember what it was I
originally thought.

On looking through Google I can see I'm right to be confused. It's
clearly been used in both senses. Even Johnson, in his 1827 dictionary,
records the two opposing meanings:

"15. To unclose or slide back curtains

Go draw aside the curtains, and discover
The sev'ral caskets to the noble prince.
-- Shakespeare

Alarm'd, and with presaging heart he came,
And drew the curtain, and expos'd the dame.
-- Dryden

16. To close or spread curtains
Philoclea intreated Pamella to open her grief, who, drawing the curtain,
that the light might not complain of her blushing, was ready to speak.
-- Sidney"

Generally, it looks as if the 'closing' sense predominates.
--
Iain Archer