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Straw

//stɹɔ// adj, name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective

1
Made of straw. not-comparable
"straw hat"
2
Of a pale, yellowish beige colour, like that of a dried straw. not-comparable
3
Imaginary, but presented as real. figuratively, not-comparable
"A straw enemy built up in the media to seem like a real threat, which then collapses like a balloon."

Adjective

1
of a pale yellow color like straw; straw-colored wordnet

Proper Noun

1
A surname transferred from the nickname.

Noun

1
A dried stalk of a cereal plant. countable
2
a thin paper or plastic tube used to suck liquids into the mouth wordnet
3
Such dried stalks considered collectively; this bulk matter may be a chief salable product, a by-product, fodder, bedding, or green manure, depending on region and on current market conditions. uncountable
4
a variable yellow tint; dull yellow, often diluted with white wordnet
5
A drinking straw. countable

Show 5 more definitions

6
material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds wordnet
7
A pale, yellowish beige colour, like that of a dried straw. countable, uncommon, uncountable
8
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder wordnet
9
Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"to not care a straw"
10
A straw owner. countable, uncountable
"The Bromfield Street offices were housed in a dilapidated but heavily-insured building, owned by a straw for a wealthy downtown real estate developer, surrounded by expensive new commercial developments, and in a city renowned for arson-for-profit."

Verb

1
To lay straw around plants to protect them from frost.
2
spread by scattering (‘straw’ is archaic) wordnet
3
To sell straws on the streets in order to cover the giving to the purchaser of things usually banned, such as pornography. obsolete, slang
"It was the custom for the disaffected of those days to make known their grievances by distributing papers on doors of public buildings, and even strawing them in the high way, for the benefit of the chance passenger."
4
cover or provide with or as if with straw wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English straw, from Old English strēaw, from Proto-West Germanic *strau, from Proto-Germanic *strawą (“that which is strewn, straw”), from Proto-Indo-European *strew- (“to spread around, strew”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Sträi (“straw”), West Frisian strie (“straw”), Dutch stro (“straw”), German Low German Stroh (“straw”), German Stroh (“straw”), Danish, Norwegian and Swedish strå (“straw”), Icelandic strá (“straw”), Walloon strin, Albanian shtrohë (“kennel”).

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

From Middle English straw, as a nickname for a thin person or one with straw-coloured hair, or an occupational name for a dealer in straw.

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