Example
“I drew the short straw and had to present our findings at seven in the morning.”
Dictionary details
Related idioms
Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.
draw a blank
CEFR B2to be unable to recall or produce the needed answer or information
grasp at straws
CEFR B2to try desperate, unlikely measures when things are going badly
make short work of
CEFR B2to finish a task or overcome an opponent with surprising speed and ease
the straw that broke the camel's back
CEFR B2the final small addition that makes a situation unbearable
short shrift
CEFR C1very little attention or consideration, usually given dismissively
par for the course
CEFR B2Normal and unsurprising for a particular situation, even if it is inconvenient or disappointing.
Source methodology
Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.