draw the short straw

verb

To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws.

“I drew the short straw and got stuck doing the whole project alone.”

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Meanings

verbdraw the short straw (third-person singular simple present draws the short straw, present participle drawing the short straw, simple past drew the short straw, past participle drawn the short straw)

present singular third person draws the short straw · participle present drawing the short straw · past drew the short straw · participle past drawn the short straw

  1. To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws.
  2. idiomaticTo be selected to do an undesirable task (by drawing the shortest straw or otherwise).

    I drew the short straw and got stuck doing the whole project alone.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
short end of the stick

Translations

Dutch aan het kortste eind trekken, het kortste lootje trekken
  • aan het kortste eind trekkento select the shortest straw
  • het kortste lootje trekkento select the shortest straw
  • aan het kortste eind trekkento be selected to do an undesirable task
  • het kortste lootje trekkento be selected to do an undesirable task
Finnish vetää lyhyt tikku, vetää lyhyt tikku
  • vetää lyhyt tikkuto select the shortest straw
  • vetää lyhyt tikkuto be selected to do an undesirable task
  • jäädä Musta Pekka käteento be selected to do an undesirable task
French tirer la courte paille, tirer la courte paille
  • tirer la courte pailleto select the shortest straw
  • tirer la courte pailleto be selected to do an undesirable task
German den Kürzeren ziehen, das kürzere Stöckchen ziehen
  • den Kürzeren ziehento select the shortest straw
  • das kürzere Stöckchen ziehento select the shortest straw
  • das kürzere Streichholz ziehento select the shortest straw
  • den Kürzeren ziehento be selected to do an undesirable task
Spanish bailar con la más fea
  • bailar con la más feato be selected to do an undesirable task
Swedish dra det kortaste strået, dra det kortaste strået
  • dra det kortaste stråetto select the shortest straw
  • dra det kortaste stråetto be selected to do an undesirable task
Cite this entry
APA

draw the short straw. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20the%20short%20straw

MLA

“draw the short straw.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20the%20short%20straw. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “draw the short straw,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20the%20short%20straw.

Source: draw the short straw on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.