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Old 05-Jun-2009, 10:01
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Default A drowning man catches at a straw

What is the meaning of the Idiom 'A drowning man catches at a straw'
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Old 05-Jun-2009, 10:05
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Default Re: A drowning man catches at a straw

Pls I need answer.
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Old 05-Jun-2009, 11:32
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Default Re: A drowning man catches at a straw

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Originally Posted by conniemork View Post
Pls I need answer.
Hi,

I'm not a teacher, but, in my mind, if you were about to drown, a straw would not be a solution to keep you afloat.
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Old 05-Jun-2009, 11:41
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Default Re: A drowning man catches at a straw

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Hi,

I'm not a teacher, but, in my mind, if you were about to drown, a straw would not be a solution to keep you afloat.
But if you are drowning, you will catch at anything in the hope that it may keep you afloat.
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Old 05-Jun-2009, 11:45
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Default Re: A drowning man catches at a straw

When I've heard the idiom, the verb is 'clutches'. I think this may have been changed by the influence of 'catches hold of' and 'snatches at'.

b
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Old 05-Jun-2009, 17:10
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Default Re: A drowning man catches at a straw

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Originally Posted by conniemork View Post
What is the meaning of the Idiom 'A drowning man catches at a straw'

I have also only heard it as "clutches" at a straw.

It means that when you are in a very desperate situation, you will try anything to get out of it, even if it seems impossible to do so.

I am not a teacher.
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