jack-straw

A child carefully picks up a jack-straw from a pile on the table.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A straw effigy: "jack-straw" refers to a figure made of straw, often used as a scarecrow or a dummy.
   • An insignificant person: It can denote a person of little importance, worth, or character.
   • A game (plural): In the plural form, "jack-straws" refers to a game where a pile of straws is dropped, and players must remove them one by one without disturbing the others.

Usage Examples

• Noun (straw effigy):
  • The farmer placed a jack-straw in the field to scare away crows. (A straw dummy used as a scarecrow.)
• Noun (insignificant person):
  • He is just a jack-straw in the company, with no real influence. (A person of little importance.)
• Noun (game):
  • The children played jack-straws on the floor, carefully picking up each straw. (A game involving removing straws from a pile.)

Advanced Usage

• "not to care a jack-straw": to not care at all; to be completely indifferent.
  • She does not care a jack-straw about the criticism. (She is utterly unconcerned.)

Variants and Related Words

• Jackstraw (alternate spelling): The same meaning, often used interchangeably.
  • The jackstraw in the garden was old and tattered. (The scarecrow was worn out.)

Synonyms

• Scarecrow: a figure set up to scare birds away from crops.
• Nonentity: a person of no importance or influence.
• Straw man: a weak or imaginary opponent (in arguments), though not identical in meaning.

Related Idioms

• A jack-straw in the wind: a person easily swayed or influenced (rare, archaic).
  • He is a jack-straw in the wind, changing his opinion with every new idea. (A person lacking firmness.)

Additional Notes

• The game "jack-straws" is also known as "pick-up sticks" in modern English.