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EN · C2 · idiom

grasp at straws

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chwytać się ostatniej deski ratunku

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Flashcard #7511 · C2

grasp at straws

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Dialogues in context

EN · C2

The Last Chance

  1. A

    Why are you calling that venue again?

    Dlaczego znów dzwonisz do tej sali?

  2. B

    I'm clutching at straws. Every other place is booked.

    Chwytam się ostatniej deski ratunku. Wszystkie inne są zajęte.

  3. A

    Maybe someone cancelled.

    Może ktoś odwołał rezerwację.

  4. B

    That's what I'll ask.

    Właśnie o to zapytam.

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Translations

Polishchwytać się ostatniej deski ratunkuidiomNo voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.
Germannach jedem Strohhalm greifenidiomNo voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.
Spanishagarrarse a un clavo ardiendoidiomNo voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.
Russianхвататься за соломинкуidiomNo voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.

Examples of use

Polish

Obwiniając pogodę, przegrywająca drużyna chwytała się ostatniej deski ratunku.

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English

Blaming the weather, the losing team was grasping at straws.

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German

Das unterlegene Team gab dem Wetter die Schuld und griff nach jedem Strohhalm.

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Spanish

El equipo perdedor culpó al tiempo y se agarró a un clavo ardiendo.

No voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.
Russian

Проигрывающая команда винила погоду, хватаясь за соломинку.

No voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.

Grammar

idiom

Dictionary form
grasp at straws
  • Learn this expression as a whole and use the example to understand its context.

Example

Blaming the weather, the losing team was grasping at straws.

cut no ice

nie robić żadnego wrażenia

C2No voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.
Hobson's choice

wybór bez rzeczywistej alternatywy

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carry coals to Newcastle

wozić drzewo do lasu

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cut the Gordian knot

przeciąć węzeł gordyjski

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a straw in the wind

drobny znak przyszłych zmian

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a fly in the ointment

drobna wada psująca całość

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When recognition becomes an end in itself, it is easy to lose sight of the cause it was meant to serve.

Gdy uznanie staje się celem samym w sobie, łatwo stracić z oczu sprawę, której miało służyć.

C2No voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.
This freedom is a double-edged sword: it allows action to be adapted to the situation but makes it harder to compare individuals' responsibilities.

Ta swoboda jest mieczem obosiecznym: pozwala dostosować działanie do sytuacji, ale utrudnia porównanie odpowiedzialności poszczególnych osób.

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The Achilles' heel of this plan is not a shortage of ideas but dependence on a single source of information whose reliability has not been checked.

Piętą achillesową tego planu jest nie brak pomysłów, lecz zależność od jednego źródła informacji, którego wiarygodności nie sprawdzono.

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A seemingly technical amendment may become a Trojan horse for a change whose consequences participants had no opportunity to discuss.

Pozornie techniczna poprawka może stać się koniem trojańskim dla zmiany, której skutków uczestnicy nie mieli możliwości przedyskutować.

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Let us not cross the Rubicon through a careless statement; if this declaration closes the way back to our previous arrangements, it should be a deliberate decision.

Nie przekraczajmy Rubikonu przypadkowym komunikatem; jeśli ta deklaracja zamyka drogę do dotychczasowych ustaleń, powinna być świadomą decyzją.

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A vote of confidence is not a blank cheque: we still have to explain decisions that affect other people's responsibilities.

Kredyt zaufania nie jest zgodą na dowolność: nadal musimy wyjaśniać decyzje, które wpływają na obowiązki pozostałych osób.

C2No voice for this language is installed. Speech practice is still available.

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