I. ˈstrȯ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English straw, stree, from Old English strēaw, strē; akin to Old High German strō straw, Old Norse strā, Old English strēowian, strewian to strew — more at strew
1.
a. : stalks of grain after threshing usually mixed with leaves and chaff, used as bedding for cattle, for packing, for fodder, in papermaking, or woven, plaited, or braided for various uses (as for a hat)
b. : a natural fiber (as buntal) or an artificial fiber (as nylon) woven, plaited, or braided to serve various uses (as for a mat, hat, bag, or box)
c. : any of various dry or stalky residues of plant growth that are put to practical use (as for bedding or packing) — see pine straw
2. : a stalk or stem of grain (as of wheat, rye, oats, or barley) ; also : a stalk of buckwheat, beans, or peas
3.
a.
(1) : something of small worth or significance
grateful for such straws as the garden and the weather — Will Scott
another straw toward helping them carry out their project — Robert Grant †1940
— usually used in such phrases as care a straw
didn't care a straw about the case — O.W.Holmes †1935
wasn't worth making a fuss about, because it didn't really matter a straw — Ellen Glasgow
(2) : something too insubstantial to provide support or help in a desperate situation
clutches at the straw of falsehood — H.M.Parshley
even active unionists tend to grasp at strange straws for support — Bob Senser
(3) or straw in the wind : a slight fact that is an indication of a coming event
some of the straws in the wind include an increase in the printing of paper yen — Lindesay Parrott
b. : chaff 3
the mass of irrelevant trivialities and repetitions in doubtful taste which form the straw of a considerable part of this book — Books Abroad
c. : man of straw
4. : a thing made of straw: as
a. obsolete : pipe 1a(1)
b. : straw hat
c. : a prepared tube originally cut from a wheat straw for sucking up a beverage
the nurse brought him some clear consommé and a bent glass straw — Oakley Hall
5. : a thing shaped like a straw ; especially : a short narrow strip of pastry
cheese straws
6. or straw yellow : a pale yellow that is deeper than cream, deeper and slightly greener than ivory, and greener and stronger than leghorn
•
- in the straw
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English strawen, from straw (I)
1. : to cover (a surface) with or as if with straw
2. : to provide with straw
steers strawed to weather a blizzard — James Still
III. adjective
Etymology: straw (I)
1. : made of straw
straw basket
straw seats
straw broom
2. : of, relating to, or used for straw
straw barn
3. : of the color of straw
his straw hair flopped wildly on his forehead — Wirt Williams
4. : of little or no value : worthless
5. : of, relating to, resembling, or being a man of straw
a straw structure which bore almost no resemblance to the Greek philosopher's manner of thinking — Martin Gardner
purchase any property … either in his own name or by use of a straw party — W.H.Husband & F.R.Anderson
6. : of, relating to, or concerned with the discovery of preferences by means of a straw vote
straw polls that seek to sample public opinion — W.E.Binkley & Malcolm Moos
the poll … is conducted by seven crews of straw takers — A.J.Liebling
IV. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English strawwen, strawen, from Old English strēawian, strēowian to strew — more at strew
: strew
Synonyms: see strew