draw the short straw

a day late and a dollar short

Too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.

a short drop and a sudden stop

A fall to one's death by hanging.

bang straw

A farmer's servant, especially a thresher.

buy straw hats in winter

Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price are low, so as to sell when demand and price are high.

caught short

unprepared or without enough of something when it is needed

down to the short strokes

In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

draw a blank

To be unable to recall a required piece of information.

draw a line

To delimit a boundary or border.