/strɔ:; strɔ/
n
1 [U] cut and dried stalks of grain plants (eg wheat, barley) used as a material for thatching roofs, making hats, mats, etc and as bedding and food for animals （收割後乾燥的）禾秆, 麦秆, 稻草
*a stable filled with straw 堆满乾草的马厩
* [attrib 作定语] a straw mattress, ie one filled with straw 草垫.
2 [C] single stalk or piece of this （一根）禾秆, 麦秆, 稻草
*There are a few straws in your hair. 你的头发上有几根稻草.
3 [C] thin tube of paper or plastic through which a drink is sucked up （纸或塑料制的）饮料吸管
*drinking lemonade through a straw 用吸管吸汽水
* A packet of (drinking) straws, please. 请给我一包吸管.
4 a straw [sing] insignificant thing or amount (used esp in the expressions shown) 微不足道的事物或数量（尤用于以下示例）
*not care a straw 毫不在乎
* be not worth a straw 毫无价值.
5 (idm 习语) clutch/grasp at a `straw/`straws try to take some slight chance of escaping or being rescued from sth 抓救命稻草（竭力抓住微小的机会以求逃脱或获救）. the last/final straw (that breaks the camel's back) additional event, act, task, etc that makes a situation finally intolerable （事情、行动、任务等）使人终于不胜负荷的最後的量. make bricks without straw => brick. a man of straw => man1. a straw in the `wind slight indication of how things may develop （显示事物动向的）徵兆, 迹象, 苗头.

n

[Language: Old English;Origin: streaw]
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)[C]
a single dried stem of straw

[C]
a thin tube of paper or plastic for sucking up liquid from a bottle or a cup
　She sipped her lemonade through a straw.
the last strawalsothe straw that breaks the camel's back
the last problem in a series of problems that finally makes you give up, get angry etc
　Making me work late on Friday was the last straw.
be clutching/grasping at straws
to be trying everything you can to succeed, even though the things you are doing are not likely to help or work
straw in the wind
BrE a sign of what might happen in the future
　There have been a few straws in the wind suggesting things might be getting a little better.
straw man
AmE a weak opponent or imaginary argument that can easily be defeated
→draw the short strawatdraw¹ (29)