[General] not to care a straw for one

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

Gloves and shoes; she had a passion for gloves; but her own daughter, her Elizabeth, cared not a straw for either of them.

not to care a straw for one = to hold one in no esteem; to defy one as not worth your steel

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[Heterological]

I've never heard the "not a straw" construction, but it's pretty obvious from the context that's what it means; a quick Google search confirms this. I've also heard similar expressions, such as "care not a whit," which means the same thing. Sounds very regional to me.