Explaining “A drowning man will clutch at a straw”

What does it mean?

The phrase means that a person in desperate circumstances will try to find relief or a solution, no matter how unlikely or insignificant it may seem.

Tone

Origin

The phrase traces back to at least the 16th century, with its earliest recorded use found in the writings of Sir Thomas More. It metaphorically describes the hopeless action of a drowning person grabbing at a straw, something that is barely capable of saving them.