straw

noun

1. （收割后干燥的）禾秆，麦秆，稻草
   stems of wheat or other grain plants that have been cut and dried. Straw is used for making mats , hats, etc., for packing things to protect them, and as food for animals or for them to sleep on.
   1. a mattress filled with straw
      稻草填充的垫子
   2. a straw hat
      草帽
2. 一根禾秆（或麦秆、稻草）
   a single stem or piece of straw
   1. He was leaning over the gate chewing on a straw.
      他嘴里嚼着一根麦秆，靠到栅门上。
3. （喝饮料用的）吸管
   a thin tube of plastic or paper that you suck a drink through

1. N-UNCOUNT (干的)稻草，麦秆，禾秆
   Straw consists of the dried, yellowish stalks from crops such as wheat or barley.
   1. The barn was full of bales of straw...
      谷仓里堆满了成捆的稻草。
   2. I stumbled through mud to a yard strewn with straw.
      我跌跌撞撞地趟过泥地来到一个堆满麦秆的场院。
   3. ...a wide-brimmed straw hat.
      宽沿草帽
2. N-COUNT (喝饮料用的)吸管
   A straw is a thin tube of paper or plastic, which you use to suck a drink into your mouth.
   1. ...a bottle of lemonade with a straw in it.
      一瓶插着吸管的柠檬水
3. PHRASE 抓救命稻草;采取极端措施;作绝望的挣扎
   If you are clutching at straws or grasping at straws, you are trying unusual or extreme ideas or methods because other ideas or methods have failed.
   1. ...a badly thought-out scheme from a Government clutching at straws.
      政府情急之下采取的考虑欠周的计划
4. PHRASE 压垮骆驼的最后一根稻草;最终使人不堪忍受的事
   If an event is the last straw or the straw that broke the camel's back, it is the latest in a series of unpleasant or undesirable events, and makes you feel that you cannot tolerate a situation any longer.
   1. For him the Church's decision to allow the ordination of women had been the last straw...
      教会同意授给女性神职的决定使他终于忍无可忍。
   2. Then came the recession. Revenues dropped, but the straw to break the camel's back was the war.
      之后出现了经济衰退，财政收入下降，但致命的打击还是那场战争。
5. PHRASE 下下签;苦差
   If you draw the short straw, you are chosen from a number of people to perform a job or duty that you will not enjoy.
   1. ...if a few of your guests have drawn the short straw and agreed to drive others home after your summer barbecue.
      如果你的一些客人不幸被抓了壮丁，同意在夏日烧烤野餐结束后开车把其他人送回家
6. PHRASE 迹象;苗头;征兆
   If you say that an incident or piece of news is a straw in the wind, you mean that it gives an indication of what might happen in the future.
   1. The latest straw in the wind is a pick-up in sales among the nation's retail giants.
      最新的迹象是该国几家零售巨头的销售额有所上升。

1. He wore a straw hat to keep his balding head from getting sunburned.
   他戴了顶草帽，以免正在谢顶的脑袋被太阳晒到。
2. The special cabinet committee comprises Mr Brown, Mr Mandelson, and Mr Straw
   特别内阁委员会包括布朗先生、曼德尔森先生和斯特劳先生。
3. I wouldn't be seen dead in a straw hat.
   我死也不会戴草帽。
4. I know that you're floundering around, trying to grasp at any straw.
   我知道你正不知所措，是在病急乱投医。
5. She nestled the eggs safely in the straw in Jim's basket.
   她把鸡蛋轻轻地放在吉姆篮子里的稻草上。
6. On top of the cupboards are vast straw baskets which Pat uses for dried flower arrangements
   橱柜顶上摆着帕特用来插干花的大草篮。
7. Mr Straw issued a stern warning to those who persist in violence
   斯特劳先生向那些坚持进行暴力活动的人发出了严正警告。
8. The barn was full of bales of straw
   谷仓里堆满了成捆的稻草。
9. I stumbled through mud to a yard strewn with straw.
   我跌跌撞撞地趟过泥地来到一个堆满麦秆的场院。
10. For him the Church's decision to allow the ordination of women had been the last straw
    教会同意授给女性神职的决定使他终于忍无可忍。
11. Then came the recession. Revenues dropped, but the straw to break the camel's back was the war.
    之后出现了经济衰退，财政收入下降，但致命的打击还是那场战争。
12. The latest straw in the wind is a pick-up in sales among the nation's retail giants.
    最新的迹象是该国几家零售巨头的销售额有所上升。
13. A straw poll conducted at the end of the meeting found most people agreed with Mr Forth
    会议结束时所做的非正式民意测验表明大多数人赞同福思先生。
14. Many parents wouldn't dream of buying the stuff for their daughters anyway, as a straw poll among my friends and acquaintances demonstrated.
    就我对朋友和熟人所做的调查显示，很多父母无论如何都不会为他们的女儿购买这种东西。
15. The cart is piled high with straw.
    大车上的稻草装得冒尖儿了。
16. He sucked ice-cream soda through a straw.
    他用麦杆吸冰淇淋汽水。
17. He acted like a drowning man trying to catch at a straw.
    他那样做好像一个快要淹死的人拼命想捞救命稻草一样。
18. The straw mattress needs to be aired.
    草垫子该晾一晾了。
19. Straw sandals need no last; the shape comes with the weaving--work things out as you go along.
    草鞋没样，边打边像。
20. The press saw the event as a straw in the wind that augured the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
    报界把这件事看作是两国之间即将恢复邦交的预兆。
21. The old peasant is twisting pieces of straw into a rope.
    这位老农民正把稻草搓成绳子。
22. Dry straw doesn't weigh much.
    干稻草不压秤。
23. What he said in the talk showed he was a man of straw.
    在会谈中他的话表明他毫无实权。
24. Straw can be used both for fodder and for papermaking.
    草可以做饲料，也可以造纸。
25. One day while sweeping the compound he discovered seven eggs in a pile of straw.
    一天，他打扫院子时，发现乱草堆里有7个鸡蛋。
26. He took off his straw hat and fanned himself with it.
    他摘下草帽不停地呼扇。
27. Two peasant women with funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-colored donkey.
    两个戴着可笑草帽的农妇神情庄重地牵着漂亮的暗灰色的毛驴走了过去。
28. He seems to be looking for a man of straw to belabor.
    他看来在找一个假想的敌人来加以痛打。
29. The farmers tried to fear the crows out of corn by planting several men of straw.
    农民们竖起了几个稻草人，试图把乌鸦从玉米地里吓跑。
30. The bull-dog lay stretched on the straw outside his kennel.
    那只斗牛狗也伸长腿在狗窝前的草堆上懒洋洋地躺着。

n.

clutch/grasp at straws

• （在危难中）抓救命稻草，不放过任何微小的机会
  to try all possible means to find a solution or some hope in a difficult or unpleasant situation, even though this seems very unlikely

the last/final straw

the straw that breaks the camel's back

• 压垮骆驼的最后一根稻草；终于使人不堪忍受的最后一件事（或因素等）
  the last in a series of bad events, etc. that makes it impossible for you to accept a situation any longer

a straw in the wind

• （预示发生某事的）迹象，苗头，征兆
  a small sign of what might happen in the future

make bricks without straw

• 做无米之炊
  to try to work without the necessary material, money, information, etc.

draw the short straw

• 抽到倒霉签；被派做苦差事
  to be the person in a group who is chosen or forced to perform an unpleasant duty or task
  1. I drew the short straw and had to clean the toilets.
     我抽到了下下签，只得打扫厕所了。