to pick straws
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To show fatigue or weariness,, as birds pick up straws to make their nests (or bed).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to pick straws” mean?
To show fatigue or weariness,, as birds pick up straws to make their nests (or bed).
Is “to pick straws” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.