draw straws

draw straws

English

Verb

draw straws (third-person singular simple present draws straws, present participle drawing straws, simple past drew straws, past participle drawn straws)

1. To decide at random by drawing (selecting randomly between) straws, sticks, etc., one of which differs from the others (typically by being shorter), held in a person's hand so as to conceal which is the different one. Typically, whoever draws the short straw must complete some undesirable task. Alternatively, whoever draws the longest straw gets a desired position.

   They drew straws to see who had to wash the dishes.

2. (by extension) To decide by any means of chance.

Translations

decide at random

Breton: tennañ plouz berr (br) Chinese: Mandarin: 抓鬮／抓阄 (zh) (zhuājiū), 抽籤／抽签 (zh) (chōuqiān) Finnish: vetää pitkää tikkua Galician: botar á palla perra, botar sortes German: Stöckchen ziehen, Streichhölzer ziehen French: tirer à la courte paille (fr) Hungarian: sorsot húz Portuguese: please add this translation if you can

See also

• cast lots
• draw lots
• draw the short straw