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Chris -- 2018-04-11

#1 2005-11-12 19:20:57

klakritz
Eggcornista
From: Winchester Massachusetts
Registered: 2005-10-25
Posts: 674

'gasping at straws' for 'grasping at straws'

The substitution nicely mirrors the sense of breathless desperation of the original. About 900 ghits.

Bill, with respect, I believe You are gasping at straws to simply deny the issue.
hnn.us/readcomment.php?id=36526

Another slight criticism with the machine (and I am gasping at straws here) is
that it seems a little plasticky.
www.epinions.com/content_209047096964

The players gave up alot, the owners wouldn’t budge, and then gave highly improbable reasons why they couldn’t go higher, knowing they were gasping at straws.
forums.nyyfans.com/showpost.php?p=1925972&postcount=71

Some of the stuff is good News, but on the whole it seems like they’re gasping
at straws to come up with enough good stuff to fill a page.
www.milblog.org/MTA/archives/002073.html

Like a drowning man gasping at straws, Arafat and his people are issuing a stream of orders for governmental reforms.
www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt. … ID=1&sbSub

You know Daschle is desperate and gasping at straws to pull this stunt…
the-w.com/thread.php/id=23027

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#2 2012-09-05 07:24:52

David Bird
Eggcornista
From: The Hammer, Ontario
Registered: 2009-07-28
Posts: 1691

Re: 'gasping at straws' for 'grasping at straws'

Beat to the punch bowl by klakritz again! The following variant makes it clear that the imagery change is there and that it’s not just a dropped letter.

Gasping through straws, Gibbs made up his mind to stay in the chilly autopsy room until Ducky told him something a little more substancial.
http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com/vi … rid=369945

OP: so, for giroux to take that long to drop the gloves against “such a pansy” is then considered what?? a bigger pansy, i would say right?
Reply: I thought they dropped them pretty quick, your gasping through straws.
Hockey fisticuffs

Gasping through straws…Proverbially of course. Reguardless, the statement stands.
Book review

Please don’t be embarrassed. We all say really stupid things, occasionally. It is the frequency that you need to be concerned with. You’re gasping through straws. Try to get a good night sleep.
Stock pickers

You saw the information on undeclared shorts…they are gasping through straws… :> Luv to see them squiggle…
More stock pickers

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