What does the idiom draw a long mean?

The idiom "draw a long bow" means to exaggerate or tell a tall tale. It's often used to describe someone who embellishes a story to make it more interesting or dramatic, even if it's not entirely true.

Here's an example:

"John told us a story about how he fought off a pack of wolves in the woods, but I think he was drawing a long bow."

The phrase originates from archery, where drawing a long bow requires a lot of strength and skill. The implication is that someone who "draws a long bow" is stretching the truth as far as they can.