'withdraw' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'withdragan', where 'with-' meant 'against/back' and 'dragan' meant 'to draw'.

'withdragan' changed into Middle English forms such as 'withdrawe'/'withdrawen' and eventually became the modern English word 'withdraw'.

Initially, it meant 'to draw back'; over time it evolved to include senses such as 'to take back, remove, pull out' and 'to stop participating'.