A drowning man will catch at a straw.

Meaning: Desperation drives people to grasp at even the most fragile solutions when facing catastrophe.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Challenge

Drink water like an ox, wine like a king of Spain. — Quench thirst with plain necessity; reserve indulgence for rare, celebratory moments.
He who drinks when he is not dry, will be dry when he has no drink. — Wasteful indulgence during abundance ensures deprivation when scarcity arrives.
Drive not a second nail till the first is clenched. — Complete each task fully before beginning another, ensuring solid progress rather than sc…
It is ill meddling with edged tools. — Dabbling with dangerous instruments without skill or caution invites injury and regret.
An empty purse fills the face with wrinkles. — Poverty's hardships and anxieties visibly age a person through stress and deprivation.
If you must have an evil, choose a little one. — Small harms wisely accepted spare you from greater suffering later.

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