straw
- straw
-
I. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English strēaw; akin to Old High German strō straw, Old English strewian to strew
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. stalks of grain after threshing; broadly dry stalky plant residue used like grain straw (as for bedding or packing)
b. a natural or artificial heavy fiber used for weaving, plaiting, or braiding
2. a dry coarse stem especially of a cereal grass
3.
a.
(1) something of small worth or significance
(2) something too insubstantial to provide support or help in a desperate situation <
clutching at straws
>
b. chaff 2
4.
a. something (as a hat) made of straw
b. a tube (as of paper, plastic, or glass) for sucking up a beverage
• strawy adjective
II. adjective
Date: 15th century
1. made of straw <a straw hat
>
2. of, relating to, or used for straw <a straw barn
>
3. of the color of straw <straw hair
>
4. of little or no value ; worthless
5. of, relating to, resembling, or being a straw man
6. of, relating to, or concerned with the discovery of preferences by means of a straw vote
New Collegiate Dictionary.
2001.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
Straw — is an agricultural by product, the dry of a cereal plant, after the grain or seed has been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. In times gone by, it was regarded as a useful by … Wikipedia
Straw — Straw, n. [OE. straw, stre, stree, AS. stre[ a]w, from the root of E. strew; akin to OFries. str[=e], D. stroo, G. stroh, OHG. str[=o], Icel. str[=a], Dan. straa, Sw. str[*a]. [root]166. See {Strew}.] 1. A stalk or stem of certain species of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
straw — S3 [stro: US stro:] n [: Old English; Origin: streaw] 1.) a) [U] the dried stems of wheat or similar plants that animals sleep on, and that are used for making things such as baskets, hats etc →↑hay ▪ a straw hat b) a single dried stem of stra … Dictionary of contemporary English
straw — [strô] n. [ME stra < OE streaw, akin to streawian: see STREW] 1. hollow stalks or stems of grain after threshing, collectively: used for fodder, for bedding, for making hats, etc. 2. a single one of such stalks 3. such a stalk or, now esp., a… … English World dictionary
straw — [ strɔ ] noun ** 1. ) uncount the yellow stems of dried crops such as wheat: bales of straw a straw hat 2. ) count a long thin paper or plastic tube that you use for drinking clutch/grasp at straws to try to find anything at all that will help… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
straw — straw; straw·berry; straw·ber·ry·ing; straw·en; straw·ish; straw·less; win·dle·straw; … English syllables
straw — ► NOUN 1) dried stalks of grain, used as fodder or for thatching, packing, or weaving. 2) a single dried stalk of grain. 3) a thin hollow tube of paper or plastic for sucking drink from a container. 4) a pale yellow colour. ● clutch at straws Cf … English terms dictionary
straw — (n.) O.E. streaw stems or stalks of certain cereals, lit. that which is scattered or strewn, related to streowian (see STREW (Cf. strew)), from P.Gmc. *strawam that which is scattered (Cf. O.N. stra, Dan. straa, Swed. strô, O.Fris. stre, O.Du., O … Etymology dictionary
Straw — ist der Name folgender Personen: Ezekiel A. Straw (1819–1882), US amerikanischer Politiker Jack Straw (* 1946), britischer Politiker der Labour Party Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselb … Deutsch Wikipedia
straw|y — «STR ee», adjective. 1. of, containing, or like straw. 2. strewn or thatched with straw … Useful english dictionary
Straw — Straw, v. t. To spread or scatter. See {Strew}, and {Strow}. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
