"a drowning man will clutch at a straw" meaning in English

{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb"
      },
      "expansion": "a drowning man will clutch at a straw",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English proverbs",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Czech translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person in desperate need of help will grab hold of some help, even if it is insignificant."
      ],
      "id": "en-a_drowning_man_will_clutch_at_a_straw-en-proverb-C5T47PY0",
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "grasp at straws"
        },
        {
          "word": "beggars can't be choosers"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "a drowning man will grab at a straw"
        },
        {
          "word": "a drowning man will grasp at a straw"
        },
        {
          "word": "a drowning man will grab at straws"
        },
        {
          "word": "a drowning man will grasp at straws"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "tonoucí se i stébla chytá"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "tonoucí se stébla chytá"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "hukkuva tarttuu oljenkorteen"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "tout est bon à qui se noie"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "tonący brzytwy się chwyta"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "utopájuščij i za solóminku xvatájetsja",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "утопа́ющий и за соло́минку хвата́ется"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "a drowning man will clutch at a straw"
}

{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb"
      },
      "expansion": "a drowning man will clutch at a straw",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "grasp at straws"
    },
    {
      "word": "beggars can't be choosers"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English proverbs",
        "Entries with translation boxes",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Terms with Czech translations",
        "Terms with Finnish translations",
        "Terms with French translations",
        "Terms with Polish translations",
        "Terms with Russian translations",
        "Translation table header lacks gloss"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person in desperate need of help will grab hold of some help, even if it is insignificant."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "a drowning man will grab at a straw"
    },
    {
      "word": "a drowning man will grasp at a straw"
    },
    {
      "word": "a drowning man will grab at straws"
    },
    {
      "word": "a drowning man will grasp at straws"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "tonoucí se i stébla chytá"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "tonoucí se stébla chytá"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "hukkuva tarttuu oljenkorteen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "tout est bon à qui se noie"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "tonący brzytwy się chwyta"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "utopájuščij i za solóminku xvatájetsja",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "утопа́ющий и за соло́минку хвата́ется"
    }
  ],
  "word": "a drowning man will clutch at a straw"
}