draw fire

Verb

draw fire (third-person singular simple present draws fire, present participle drawing fire, simple past drew fire, past participle drawn fire)

1. (also, figuratively, literal) In an armed encounter, to attract gunfire from an adversary, whether unintentionally or deliberately for the purpose of allowing one's allies or colleagues to gain a tactical advantage over the adversary.
   • "If you find only a handful of men there, drive them off; if they are in force, get near enough to draw their fire and find out their strength."1894, G. A. Henty, chapter 4, in Through the Sikh War
   • But the latest Santa Fe development, while not spurring the Rock Island to any further acceleration, has drawn fire from a totally unexpected quarter.1940 May, “Overseas Railways: Acceleration Proceeds in U.S.A.”, in Railway Magazine, page 298
2. (broadly, idiomatic) To create a distraction that allows one's friends, co-workers, or other associates to gain an advantage over the distracted party.
   • By-the-way, you've never had much talk with Miss Woodburn, have you, March?"
     "Not so much as with Miss Woodburn's father."
     "Well, he is rather apt to scoop the conversation. I must draw his fire, sometime, when you and Mrs. March are around, and get you a chance with Miss Woodburn."1909, William Dean Howells, chapter 1, in A Hazard of New Fortunes
3. (broadly, idiomatic) To attract criticism or an angry reaction.
   • The Compugraphics Corporation, a company that once drew fire for its income‐augmenting accounting practices, is making an impression in Wall Street these days with a solid record of quality earnings gains.1978 July 12, Robert Metz, “Market Place”, in New York Times, retrieved 20 Feb 2020
   • An Irish writer living in Devon, Trevor is alert to the quirks of people on both sides of the Irish Sea […] Bullies and bigots of every stripe draw his fire.1979 April 8, Julia O'Faolain, “Certainties Of Loss”, in Washington Post, retrieved 20 Feb 2020