letzter Strohhalm

German

Etymology

Literally, “last straw”. From the idiom nach jedem Strohhalm greifen (“to use even the least promising options out of desperation”), which is equivalent to English a drowning man will clutch at a straw.

Pronunciation

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Noun

letzter Strohhalm m (strong, definite nominative der letzte Strohhalm, genitive (des) letzten Strohhalms or (des) letzten Strohhalmes, plural letzte Strohhalme, definite plural die letzten Strohhalme)

1. one's last hope, last option

Usage notes

• Though their senses might indeed overlap in specific contexts, German letzter Strohhalm is a false friend of English last straw. The German equivalent to the latter phrase is der Tropfen, der das Fass zum Überlaufen bringt (“the drop that makes the barrel overflow”), sometimes shortened to der letzte Tropfen (“the last drop”).