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  What it means

  “A drowning man grasps at a razor.” In desperation, people will clutch at anything — even something that will hurt them — rather than accept defeat. Describes reckless last-ditch attempts.

  English equivalent

  A drowning man will clutch at a straw.

  Vocabulary

  • tonący — a drowning person
  • brzytwa — razor
  • chwytać się — to grasp at, to clutch

  Grammar note

  'Brzytwy' is the genitive of 'brzytwa' after 'chwytać się', which governs the genitive. 'Tonący' is a present active participle used as a noun.

  Cultural context

  The Polish version is more dramatic than the English equivalent — a razor is sharper and more dangerous than a straw, emphasising the self-destructive nature of desperation.

  Intermediate

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