man of straw

noun

1. straw man.

man of straw

noun

1. a person of little substance
2. Also calledstraw man a person used as a cover for some dubious plan or enterprise; front man
3. a man who cannot be relied upon to honour his financial commitments, esp because of his limited resources

Word History and Origins

Origin of man of straw¹

First recorded in 1615–25

Example Sentences

“I am but a man of straw, Arthur,” he said.

From Literature

At the hearing today, Mr Justice Moor criticised the couple and said Mr Young was "hiding the truth" and was not "a penniless man of straw with huge debts".

From BBC

"A man of straw is worth a woman of gold."

From Project Gutenberg

"A man of straw," cried Anna, with unfeeling levity; "no such creature in the world, I do assure you!"

From Project Gutenberg

Our travellers returned to the city by the way of Montreal and Lake Champlain; nor was it until Julia had been the happy wife of Charles Weston for more than a year, that she could summon resolution to own that she had once been in love, like thousands of her sex, "with a man of straw!"

From Project Gutenberg