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  What it means

  Literally “a drowning man clutches at a razor.” Someone in a desperate situation will grab at anything, even something that may cut them. It describes wilder or less useful choices made in panic. It is like the English “clutching at straws,” but more vivid.

  Vocabulary

  • tonący — a drowning person (present participle of 'tonąć')
  • brzytwa — straight razor / cut-throat razor
  • chwytać się — to grasp at / to clutch

  Grammar note

  'Brzytwy' is the genitive of 'brzytwa'; 'chwytać się + genitive' means to grab hold of something. 'Się' here makes the verb reflexive.

  Cultural context

  The razor makes the image stronger than its English counterpart: a drowning man will even grab something that can hurt him.

  Intermediate

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