Hypertext Webster Gateway: "straw"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Straw
Used in brick-making (Ex. 5:7-18). Used figuratively in Job
41:27; Isa. 11:7; 25:10; 65:25.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Straw \Straw\, v. t.
To spread or scatter. See {Strew}, and {Strow}. --Chaucer.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Straw \Straw\, n. [OE. straw, stre, stree, AS. stre['a]w, from
the root of E. strew; akin to OFries. str[=e], D. stroo, G.
stroh, OHG. str[=o], Icel. str[=a], Dan. straa, Sw. str[*a].
[root]166. See {Strew}.]
1. A stalk or stem of certain species of grain, pulse, etc.,
especially of wheat, rye, oats, barley, more rarely of
buckwheat, beans, and pease.
2. The gathered and thrashed stalks of certain species of
grain, etc.; as, a bundle, or a load, of rye straw.
3. Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing;
a mere trifle.
I set not a straw by thy dreamings. --Chaucer.
Note: Straw is often used in the formation of self-explaining
compounds; as, straw-built, straw-crowned,
straw-roofed, straw-stuffed, and the like.
{Man of straw}, an effigy formed by stuffing the garments of
a man with straw; hence, a fictitious person; an
irresponsible person; a puppet.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
straw
adj : of a pale yellow color like straw; straw colored
n 1: plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as
fodder
2: material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of
stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
[syn: {chaff}, {husk}, {shuck}, {stalk}, {stubble}]
3: a yellow tint; yellow diluted with white [syn: {pale yellow}]
4: a thin paper or plastic tube used to such liquids into the
mouth [syn: {drinking straw}]
v 1: cover or provide with or as if with straw; "cows were
strawed to weather the snowstorm"
2: spread by scattering; "strew toys all over the carpet"
("straw" is archaic) [syn: {strew}]
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