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

The final straw that made Mr Quinn visit the doctor was when he was at a Manchester United match and had to be pulled up from the terrace.

From BBC

Glasner has openly criticised the club for their lack of transfer activity this summer and you wonder if losing Guehi against his wishes would have been the final straw.

From BBC

The move builds on previous environmental legislation from 2023 that banned supermarket carrier bags, plastic straws, drinks stirrers, cotton buds, and confetti, among other things.

From BBC

I also do breathing exercises, like alternate nostril breathing and straw breathing, where you breathe in through your nose and out through a small hole in your mouth as if you have a straw there.

From Los Angeles Times

An older woman in a summer dress and straw hat is walking by with a shopping trolley.

From BBC