straw /strɔː/► SEE ALLbe the last/final strawa straw in the windmake bricks without strawdraw the short strawa man of straw ●be the last/final ˈstraw ( be the ˌstraw that breaks the camel’s ˈback) be the last in a series of bad events, etc. that makes it impossible for you to accept a situation any longer是压垮骆驼脊梁的最后一根稻草；是（一系列遭遇中）最终使人不堪忍受的事◆I’ve had a terrible day, and this traffic is the last straw, I can’t take any more. 我这一天已经够倒霉了，这样堵车更是雪上加霜，我受不了了。●a straw in the ˈwind (BrE) an unimportant incident or piece of information which shows you what might happen in the future（预示事态发展的）迹象，苗头，征兆◆Journalists are always looking for straws in the wind. 记者们总是在寻找风吹草动的迹象。●make ˌbricks without ˈstraw (BrE) try to do a piece of work without the necessary materials, equipment or information做无米之炊；在缺少必要的材料（或设备、信息）的条件下做某事◆I don’t know how you expect me to cook dinner when there’s hardly any food in the house. You can’t make bricks without straw, you know.家里几乎什么吃的都没有，你让我怎么做饭呀。要知道，巧妇难为无米之炊。ORIGINThis is based on a story in the Bible. At that time, straw was an essential material for making bricks.这个习语源于《圣经》中的一个故事。那时，草是制作砖块的主要材料。●ˌdraw the short ˈstraw (BrE) (NAmEget the ˌshort end of the ˈstick) be the person in a group who is chosen or forced to do sth unpleasant that nobody wants to do抽到倒霉签；被派做苦差事◆You’ve drawn the short straw, I’m afraid. You’re going to have to work on New Year’s Day.恐怕你抽到了下下签。元旦你得来上班。●a ˌman of ˈstrawa weak or cowardly person懦夫；软弱的人◆You don’t need to be frightened of him — he’s a man of straw.你不必怕他，他是个懦夫。NOTE This idiom compares a person to a model of a man filled with straw(= stems of grain plants such as wheat, etc. that have been cut and dried).这个习语源于人与稻草人（straw）的比较。