He acted like a drowning man trying to catch at a straw.

他那样做好像一个快要淹死的人拼命想捞救命稻草一样。

《新英汉大辞典》

He had attempted to rescue the drowning man.

他曾试图去救那个溺水的男人。

《牛津词典》

He jumped into the river to save the drowning man.

他跳进河里，去救将要淹死的人。

《新英汉大辞典》

And judges picked Mr Hollins from the nominations for rescuing a drowning man and his dog from a fast-flowing river.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Wales | 'First class' awards for posties

George was a drowning man after the game in Norway, going down for the third time after defeats in Skopje and Amsterdam.

BBC: Chick Young's view

Instead, they present sensational statements and dramatic images that leave lasting impressions of calving glaciers, drowning polar bears and all manner of other man-caused climate calamities.

FORBES: The Bell Tells for You