straight

 
Pronunciation: /streɪt/

adjective

  • 1extending or moving uniformly in one direction only; without a curve or bend: a long, straight road
  • (of hair) not curly or wavy.
  • (of a garment) not flared or fitted closely to the body: a straight skirt
  • (of an aim, blow, or course) going direct to the intended target: a straight punch to the face
  • Geometry (of a line) lying on the shortest path between any two of its points.
  • (of an arch) flat-topped.
  • 2properly positioned so as to be level, upright, or symmetrical: he made sure his tie was straight
  • [predic.] in proper order or condition: it’ll take a long time to get the place straight
  • 3not evasive; honest: a straight answer thank you for being straight with me
  • simple; straightforward: a straight choice between nuclear power and penury
  • (of a look) bold and steady: he gave her a straight, no-nonsense look
  • (of thinking) clear, logical, and unemotional.
  • 4 [attributive] in continuous succession: he scored his fourth straight win
  • 5(of an alcoholic drink) undiluted; neat: straight brandy
  • 6(especially of drama) serious as opposed to comic or musical: a straight play
  • 7 informal (of a person) conventional or respectable: she looked pretty straight in her school clothes
  • heterosexual.

adverb

  • 1in a straight line; directly: he was gazing straight at her keep straight on
  • with no delay or diversion; directly or immediately: after dinner we went straight back to our hotel I fell into bed and went straight to sleep
  • archaic at once; immediately: I’ll fetch up the bath to you straight
  • 2in or into a level, even, or upright position: he pulled his clothes straight sit up straight!
  • 3correctly; clearly: I’m so tired I can hardly think straight
  • honestly and directly; in a straightforward manner: I told her straight—the kid’s right
  • 4without a break; continuously: he remembered working sixteen hours straight

noun

  • 1a part of something that is not curved or bent, especially a straight section of a racecourse: he pulled away in the straight to win by half a second
  • archaic a form or position that is not curved or bent: the rod flew back to the straight
  • 2(in poker) a continuous sequence of five cards.
  • 3 informal a conventional person.
  • a heterosexual person.
  • 4South African informal (in township slang) a 750 ml bottle of alcoholic drink.
    [perhaps a transferred sense of US slang straight 'unadulterated whisky']

Phrases

get something straight

make a situation clear, especially by reaching an understanding.

go straight

live an honest life after being a criminal.

a straight face

a blank or serious facial expression, especially when trying not to laugh: my father kept a straight face when he joked

the straight and narrow

the honest and morally acceptable way of living: he’s making a real effort to get back on the straight and narrow
[a misinterpretation of Matt. 7:14, ‘Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it’]

straight (or right) away

immediately: the clerk recognized her straight away

a straight fight

British a contest between just two opponents, especially in an election.

straight from the shoulder

  • 1 dated (of a blow) swift and well delivered.
  • 2(of words) frank or direct: sometimes he spoke straight from the shoulder and sometimes in puzzles

straight off (or out)

informal without hesitation or deliberation: Wendy drank half the bottle straight off

straight up

informal
  • 1British truthfully; honestly: come on, Bert, I won’t hurt you—straight up
  • 2chiefly North American unmixed; unadulterated: a dry martini served straight up

Derivatives

straightish

adjective

straightly

adverb

straightness

noun

Origin:

Middle English (as an adjective and adverb): archaic past participle of stretch

Do not confuse straight with strait. Straight means 'without a curve or bend' ( a long, straight road), whereas strait means 'a narrow passage of water' ( the Straits of Gibraltar) or 'trouble or difficulty' ( many hospitals are in dire straits).