agarrarse a un clavo ardiendo

== Spanish == === Alternative forms === agarrarse de un clavo ardiendo === Etymology === Literally, “cling to a burning nail”. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /aɡaˌraɾse a un ˌklabo aɾˈdjendo/ [a.ɣ̞aˌraɾ.se a ũŋ ˌkla.β̞o aɾˈð̞jẽn̪.d̪o] Syllabification: a‧ga‧rrar‧se a un cla‧vo ar‧dien‧do === Verb === agarrarse a un clavo ardiendo (first-person singular present me agarro a un clavo ardiendo, first-person singular preterite me agarré a un clavo ardiendo, past participle agarrado a un clavo ardiendo) (idiomatic) to clutch at straws (idiomatic) any port in a storm === Further reading === “agarrarse a, o de, un clavo ardiendo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025