short straw

To get or draw the short straw means to be chosen for something no one wants.

Poor guy. He drew the short straw this time. I'm glad I don't have to do it.

by rtilley October 15, 2013

Short straw

A particularly inept student-teacher or teaching assistant; a reference to "drawing the short straw."

Wow, Toby is definitely a short straw. I can't wait until he leaves!

by Golf Delta Delta March 16, 2009

Got the short straw

Describes the person, who gets the most unpleasant or difficult outcome in a situation. You can also say to draw the short straw.

Looks like I've got the short straw, I'm doing the late-shift while everyone else goes to the pub.

by kahramanj August 6, 2019

short straw

it means getting singled out of the safe picks. originally based on pulling one string from many that hold in a palm where one of them is shorter or colored red in the other end hidden inside the palm

in some countries this is done by using chopsticks in a container that one of them is colored in the end to pick someone from many by pulling the sticks at the same time for everyone

It seems that I won't be going anywhere this week since I don't pick the short straw this time

by gunslingerxg March 4, 2022