straw

[straw]

noun

1. a single stalk or stem, especially of certain species of grain, chiefly wheat, rye, oats, and barley.

2. a mass of such stalks, especially after drying and threshing, used as fodder.

3. material, fibers, etc., made from such stalks, as used for making hats or baskets.

4. the negligible value of one such stalk; trifle; least bit.

   not to care a straw.

5. a tube, usually of paper or glass, for sucking up a beverage from a container.

   to sip lemonade through a straw.

6. anything of possible but dubious help in a desperate circumstance.

7. straw man.

8. a straw hat.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, containing, or made of straw.

   a straw hat.

2. of the color of straw; pale yellow.

3. of little value or consequence; worthless.

4. sham; fictitious.

straw

¹

/ strɔː /

noun

1. 1. stalks of threshed grain, esp of wheat, rye, oats, or barley, used in plaiting hats, baskets, etc, or as fodder

   2. ( as modifier )

      a straw hat

2. a single dry or ripened stalk, esp of a grass

3. a long thin hollow paper or plastic tube or stem of a plant, used for sucking up liquids into the mouth

4. (usually used with a negative) anything of little value or importance

   I wouldn't give a straw for our chances

5. a measure or remedy that one turns to in desperation (esp in the phrases clutch or grasp at a straw or straws )

6. 1. a pale yellow colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      straw hair

7. a hint or indication

8. a small incident, setback, etc that, coming after others, proves intolerable

adjective

1. having little value or substance

Straw

²

/ strɔː /

noun

1. Jack, full name John Whitaker Straw. born 1946, British Labour politician; Home Secretary (1997–2001); Foreign Secretary (2001–06); Lord Chancellor (2007–10)

straw

³

/ strɔː /

verb

1. archaic,  another word for strew

Other Word Forms

• strawlike adjective
• strawless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of straw¹

before 950; Middle English; Old English strēaw; cognate with German Stroh; akin to strew

Word History and Origins

Origin of straw¹

Old English streaw; related to Old Norse strā, Old Frisian strē, Old High German strō; see _strew

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. draw straws, to decide by lottery using straws or strawlike items of different lengths, usually with the short straw or straws determining the person chosen or the loser.

2. catch / clutch / grasp at a straw / straws / any straw(s), to seize at any chance, no matter how slight, of saving oneself from calamity.

More idioms and phrases containing straw

• draw straws
• grasp at straws
• last straw
• make bricks without straw
• not worth a dime (straw)

Example Sentences

"There was another situation that happened just before the team was about to leave on the coach, which was actually the final straw," a representative said.

Read more on BBC

“We’re like drowning people clutching at straws,” he said, adding that the ceasefire meant for him the chance “to return to a normal life.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Then they have one that’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Prosecutors say he recruited straw donors—who were reimbursed for their contributions—on behalf of an associate trying to secure access to the Mar-a-Lago event for a Chinese national.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The group worked with local straw craft workers to produce large straw maypole toppers which were then used as part of the set.

Read more on BBC