to draw the short straw


to draw the short straw
Если вы draw the short straw (вытащили коротенькую соломинку), значит вам предстоит выполнить неприятную обязанность или задание. Одним из способов решения спора о том, кто должен выполнить неприятную работу, является следующий: берутся соломинки по количеству возможных исполнителей и укорачивается одна из них. Тот человек, который вытаскивает из пучка короткую соломинку, становится исполнителем дела. Эта фраза всё ещё употребляется, хотя соломинки уже никто не тянет, кроме, может быть, школьников.

Someone has to tell John that the firm is dispensing with his services and it looks as though I've drawn the short straw. — Кто-то же должен сказать Джону, что фирма больше не нуждается в его услугах и, по-видимому, это «счастье» выпало мне.


English-Russian dictionary of expressions. 2014.

Смотреть что такое "to draw the short straw" в других словарях:

  • draw the short straw — To be given an unpleasant task, duty, etc, or the most unpleasant of several • • • Main Entry: ↑short draw the short straw To be entrusted with an unpleasant task (as a result of, or as if by, drawing straws) • • • Main Entry: ↑straw * * *… …   Useful english dictionary

  • draw the short straw — ► draw the short straw be chosen to perform an unpleasant task. Main Entry: ↑straw …   English terms dictionary

  • draw the short straw — verb a) To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws. I drew the short straw and got stuck doing the whole project alone. b) To be selected to do an undesirable task (by drawing the shortest straw or otherwise) …   Wiktionary

  • draw the short straw — informal to be the member of a group who has to do an unpleasant job. Sorry, Jim, you drew the short straw. You re on toilet cleaning duty …   New idioms dictionary

  • draw the short straw — be chosen to perform an unpleasant task. → straw …   English new terms dictionary

  • get the short straw — draw/get/the short straw phrase to be the person in a group who has to do an unpleasant or difficult job I drew the short straw and had to stay late. Thesaurus: to be in, or to get into a difficult situationsynonym Main entry: short …   Useful english dictionary

  • draw the crow — (Aust) To draw the short straw, come off worst in an allocation • • • Main Entry: ↑crow …   Useful english dictionary

  • get the short end of the stick — get the short end of the ˈstick idiom (NAmE) (BrE ˌdraw the short ˈstraw) to be the person in a group who is chosen or forced to perform an unpleasant duty or task Main entry: ↑shortidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • straw — ► NOUN 1) dried stalks of grain, used as fodder or for thatching, packing, or weaving. 2) a single dried stalk of grain. 3) a thin hollow tube of paper or plastic for sucking drink from a container. 4) a pale yellow colour. ● clutch at straws Cf …   English terms dictionary

  • straw — S3 [stro: US stro:] n [: Old English; Origin: streaw] 1.) a) [U] the dried stems of wheat or similar plants that animals sleep on, and that are used for making things such as baskets, hats etc →↑hay ▪ a straw hat b) a single dried stem of stra …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • draw — draw1 W1S1 [dro: US dro:] v past tense drew [dru:] past participle drawn [dro:n US dro:n] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(picture)¦ 2 draw (somebody s) attention 3 draw a conclusion 4 draw a comparison/parallel/distinction etc 5¦(get a reaction)¦ 6¦(attract)¦ 7¦(get… …   Dictionary of contemporary English