Halm

stalk; stem; blade (of grass or grain)

noun HALM Rare

Usage Note

Halm refers specifically to the hollow or slender stem of grasses and cereals — Weizenhalm (wheat stalk), Grashalm (blade of grass). The idiom an einem Halm festhalten (to cling to a straw) parallels the English 'clutching at straws'. Also used for drinking straws in older German, though Trinkhalm is more precise.

Examples

"Der Wind ließ die Getreidehalme sanft hin und her schwingen."

Natural Translation

The wind made the grain stalks sway gently back and forth.

Literal Translation

The wind let the grain stalks gently sway back and forth.

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