To depend on your memory without studying for a test is to grasp at straws.
The robber clutched at straws to make excuses. He said he wasn't in the country when the robbery happened.
Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". Оригинал: A.Маккей, М.Т.Боткер, Дж.И.Гейтс. 1997.
catch, clutch, or grasp at a straw or at straws — idi catch, clutch, or grasp at a straw or at straws, to pursue even the slightest hope or possibility out of desperation … From formal English to slang
grasp at straws — ● straw * * * clutch/grasp/at straws phrase to try to find anything at all that will help you or give you hope in a difficult situation, when it is likely that you will find nothing She knew she was clutching at straws, thinking he might help her … Useful english dictionary
straw — [strô] n. [ME stra < OE streaw, akin to streawian: see STREW] 1. hollow stalks or stems of grain after threshing, collectively: used for fodder, for bedding, for making hats, etc. 2. a single one of such stalks 3. such a stalk or, now esp., a… … English World dictionary
grasp — v. & n. v. 1 tr. a clutch at; seize greedily. b hold firmly; grip. 2 intr. (foll. by at) try to seize; accept avidly. 3 tr. understand or realize (a fact or meaning). n. 1 a firm hold; a grip. 2 (foll. by of) a mastery or control (a grasp of the… … Useful english dictionary
straw — See: GIVE A HANG, GRASP AT A STRAW, GRASP AT STRAWS, LAST STRAW or STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL S BACK, MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW … Dictionary of American idioms
straw — See: GIVE A HANG, GRASP AT A STRAW, GRASP AT STRAWS, LAST STRAW or STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL S BACK, MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW … Dictionary of American idioms
straw — See: give a hang, grasp at a straw, grasp at straws, last straw or straw that breaks the camel s back, make bricks without straw … Словарь американских идиом
straw — strawless, adj. strawlike, adj. /straw/, n. 1. a single stalk or stem, esp. of certain species of grain, chiefly wheat, rye, oats, and barley. 2. a mass of such stalks, esp. after drying and threshing, used as fodder. 3. material, fibers, etc.,… … Universalium
straw — n. 1 dry cut stalks of grain for use as fodder or as material for thatching, packing, making hats, etc. 2 a single stalk or piece of straw. 3 a thin hollow paper or plastic tube for sucking drink from a glass etc. 4 an insignificant thing (not… … Useful english dictionary
straw — [[t]strɔ[/t]] n. 1) agr. bot a single stalk or stem esp. of a cereal grass, as wheat, rye, oats, or barley 2) agr. a mass of such stalks, esp. after drying and threshing, used as fodder 3) material made from such stalks and used to fashion hats… … From formal English to slang
