Pam·pas n. pl.  Vast grass-covered plains in the central and southern part of the Argentine Republic in South America.  The term is sometimes used in a wider sense for the plains east of the Andes extending from Bolivia to Southern Patagonia.
 Pampas cat Zool., a South American wild cat (Felis pajeros).  It has oblique transverse bands of yellow or brown.  It is about three and a half feet long.  Called also straw cat.
 Pampas deer Zool., a small, reddish-brown, South American deer (Cervus campestris syn. Blastocerus campestris).
 Pampas grass Bot., a very tall ornamental grass (Gynerium argenteum) with a silvery-white silky panicle.  It is a native of the pampas of South America.

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 Straw, n.
 1. A stalk or stem of certain species of grain, pulse, etc., especially of wheat, rye, oats, barley, more rarely of buckwheat, beans, and pease.
 2. The gathered and thrashed stalks of certain species of grain, etc.; as, a bundle, or a load, of rye straw.
 3. Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing; a mere trifle.
    I set not a straw by thy dreamings.   --Chaucer.
 Note: ☞ Straw is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, straw-built, straw-crowned, straw-roofed, straw-stuffed, and the like.
 Man of straw, an effigy formed by stuffing the garments of a man with straw; hence, a fictitious person; an irresponsible person; a puppet.
 Straw bail, worthless bail, as being given by irresponsible persons. [Colloq. U.S.]
 Straw bid, a worthless bid; a bid for a contract which the bidder is unable or unwilling to fulfill. [Colloq. U.S.]
 Straw cat Zool., the pampas cat.
 Straw color, the color of dry straw, being a delicate yellow.
 Straw drain, a drain filled with straw.
 Straw plait, or Straw plat, a strip formed by plaiting straws, used for making hats, bonnets, etc.
 To be in the straw, to be brought to bed, as a pregnant woman. [Slang]

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