Webster's English Dictionary

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straw

1. straw \'stro.\ \'stro.(-)i\ n [ME, fr. OE stre-aw; akin to OHG stro- 
   straw, OE strewian)X to strew 1a: stalks of grain after threshing; broadly 
   : dry stalky plant res idue used like grain straw (as for bedding or 
   packing) 1b: a natural or artificial heavy fiber used for weaving, 
   plaiting, or brai ding 2: a dry coarse stem esp. of a cereal grass  3a1: 
   something of small worth or significance  3a2: something too insubstantial 
   to provide support or help in a desperate  situation 3a3: a slight fact 
   that is an indication of a coming event  3b: CHAFF  4a: something made of 
   straw  4b: a prepared tube originally cut from a wheat straw for sucking up 
   a beve rage - strawy aj
2. straw aj 1: made of straw {~ rug}  2: of, relating to, or used for straw 
   {~ barn}  3: of the color of straw  4: of little or no value : WORTHLESS  
   5: of, relating to, resembling, or being a man of straw  6: of, relating 
   to, or concerned with the discovery of preferences by mean s of a straw 
   vote