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straight

 - 7 dictionary results

straight

  [streyt] ,adjective -er, -est, adverb, noun
Use straight in a Sentence
–adjective
1. without a bend, angle, or curve; not curved; direct: a straight path.
2. exactly vertical or horizontal; in a perfectly vertical or horizontal plane: a straight table.
3. (of a line) generated by a point moving at a constant velocity with respect to another point.
4. evenly or uprightly formed or set: straight shoulders.
5. without circumlocution; frank; candid: straight speaking.
6. honest, honorable, or upright, as conduct, dealings, methods, or persons.
7. Informal. reliable, as a report or information.
8. right or correct, as reasoning, thinking, or a thinker.
9. in the proper order or condition: Things are straight now.
10. continuous or unbroken: in straight succession.
11. thoroughgoing or unreserved: a straight Republican.
12. supporting or cast for all candidates of one political party: to vote a straight ticket.
13. unmodified or unaltered: a straight comedy.
14. without change in the original melody or tempo: She does straight songs, with just the piano backing her.
15. Informal.
a. heterosexual.
b. traditional; conventional.
c. free from using narcotics.
d. not engaged in crime; law-abiding; reformed.
16. undiluted, as whiskey.
17. Theater. (of acting) straightforward; not striving for effect.
18. Journalism. written or to be written in a direct and objective manner, with no attempt at individual styling, comment, etc.: She gave me a straight story. Treat it as straight news.
19. Cards. containing cards in consecutive denominations, as a two, three, four, five, and six, in various suits.
–adverb
20. in a straight line: to walk straight.
21. in an even form or position: pictures hung straight.
22. in an erect posture: to stand up straight.
23. directly: to go straight to a place.
24. without circumlocution; frankly; candidly (often fol. by out).
25. honestly, honorably, or virtuously: to live straight.
26. without intricate involvement; not in a roundabout way; to the point.
27. in a steady course (often fol. by on): to keep straight on after the second traffic light.
28. into the proper form or condition; in order: to put a room straight.
29. in possession of the truth or of true ideas: I want to set you straight before you make mistakes.
30. sold without discount regardless of the quantity bought: Candy bars are twenty cents straight.
31. Journalism. directly and objectively: Write the circus story straight.
32. without personal embellishments, additions, etc.: Tell the story straight. Sing the song straight.
33. (of liquor) served or drunk without ice, a mixer, or water; neat: He drank his whiskey straight.
–noun
34. the condition of being straight.
35. a straight form or position.
36. a straight line.
37. a straight part, as of a racecourse.
38. Informal.
a. a heterosexual.
b. a person who follows traditional or conventional mores.
c. a person who is free from narcotics.
39. Chiefly Games. a succession of strokes, plays, etc., which gives a perfect score.
—Idioms
40. go straight, Informal. to live a law-abiding life; no longer engage in crime.
41. play it straight, Informal. to do something without jokes, tricks, subterfuge, distortions, or the like: a comedian who plays it straight when he crusades against drug abuse.
42. straight off, without delay; immediately: I told him straight off what I thought about the matter. Also, straight away.
43. straight up, (of a cocktail) served without ice: a gin martini straight up.
Origin:
1250–1300; (adj.) ME; orig. ptp. of strecchen to stretch; (adv. and n.) ME, deriv. of the adj.

Related forms:
straightly, adverb
straightness, noun

Synonyms:
5. open, direct. 6. virtuous, just, fair, equitable.

Antonyms:
1. crooked. 5. devious.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To straight
straight   (strāt)   
adj.   straight·er, straight·est

  1. Extending continuously in the same direction without curving: a straight line.

  2. Having no waves or bends: straight hair.

    1. Not bent or bowed; rigid or erect: a straight, strong back.

    2. Sports Of or relating to a midair position in diving or gymnastics in which the body is held rigid without bending at the hips or knees.

    3. Direct and candid: a straight answer.

    4. Following a direct or correct method or approach; systematic: straight reasoning.

    5. Coming from a reliable source; factual: a straight tip; straight information.

    6. Showing or marked by honesty or fair-mindedness: straight business dealings.

    7. Right; correct: made sure the facts were straight in the report.

    8. Uninterrupted; consecutive: sick for five straight days; their fourth straight victory.

    9. Having the parts or details in correct sequence.

    10. Games Constituting a straight in poker.

    11. Not deviating from what is considered socially normal, usual, or acceptable; conventional.

    12. Conventional to an extreme degree.

    13. Not deviating from the normal or strict form: straight Freudian analysis.

    14. Not altered, embellished, or modified: does straight comedy.

    15. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.

    16. Of or relating to a straight man.

  4. Perfectly horizontal or vertical; level or even: The mirror isn't straight.

    1. Direct and candid: a straight answer.

    2. Following a direct or correct method or approach; systematic: straight reasoning.

    3. Coming from a reliable source; factual: a straight tip; straight information.

    4. Showing or marked by honesty or fair-mindedness: straight business dealings.

    5. Right; correct: made sure the facts were straight in the report.

    6. Uninterrupted; consecutive: sick for five straight days; their fourth straight victory.

    7. Having the parts or details in correct sequence.

    8. Games Constituting a straight in poker.

    9. Not deviating from what is considered socially normal, usual, or acceptable; conventional.

    10. Conventional to an extreme degree.

    11. Not deviating from the normal or strict form: straight Freudian analysis.

    12. Not altered, embellished, or modified: does straight comedy.

    13. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.

    14. Of or relating to a straight man.

    1. Showing or marked by honesty or fair-mindedness: straight business dealings.

    2. Right; correct: made sure the facts were straight in the report.

    3. Uninterrupted; consecutive: sick for five straight days; their fourth straight victory.

    4. Having the parts or details in correct sequence.

    5. Games Constituting a straight in poker.

    6. Not deviating from what is considered socially normal, usual, or acceptable; conventional.

    7. Conventional to an extreme degree.

    8. Not deviating from the normal or strict form: straight Freudian analysis.

    9. Not altered, embellished, or modified: does straight comedy.

    10. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.

    11. Of or relating to a straight man.

  7. Neatly arranged; orderly: The room is straight again.

    1. Uninterrupted; consecutive: sick for five straight days; their fourth straight victory.

    2. Having the parts or details in correct sequence.

    3. Games Constituting a straight in poker.

    4. Not deviating from what is considered socially normal, usual, or acceptable; conventional.

    5. Conventional to an extreme degree.

    6. Not deviating from the normal or strict form: straight Freudian analysis.

    7. Not altered, embellished, or modified: does straight comedy.

    8. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.

    9. Of or relating to a straight man.

  9. Characterized by undeviating support, as of a principle or a political party: always votes a straight party line; a straight Democrat.

    1. Not deviating from what is considered socially normal, usual, or acceptable; conventional.

    2. Conventional to an extreme degree.

    3. Not deviating from the normal or strict form: straight Freudian analysis.

    4. Not altered, embellished, or modified: does straight comedy.

    5. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.

    6. Of or relating to a straight man.

  11. Heterosexual.

  12. Slang Not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

    1. Not deviating from the normal or strict form: straight Freudian analysis.

    2. Not altered, embellished, or modified: does straight comedy.

    3. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.

    4. Of or relating to a straight man.

    1. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.

    2. Of or relating to a straight man.

  15. Not mixed with anything else; undiluted: straight bourbon.

  16. Sold without discount regardless of the amount purchased.

adv.  

  1. In a straight line; directly.

  2. In an erect posture; upright.

  3. Sports In the straight position, as in diving.

  4. Without detour or delay: went straight home.

  5. Without circumlocution; candidly: I'll say it to you straight: you're wrong.

  6. In a neat and orderly condition: put the living room straight.

  7. In an honest, law-abiding, or virtuous manner: lives straight.

  8. Without stopping; continuously: walked six hours straight.

  9. Without embellishment or modification: tell the joke straight.

  10. Without ice, water, or a mixer: drink whiskey straight.

n.  

    1. The straight part, as of a road: "The car darted forward on to the straight" (Kingsley Amis).

    2. The straight part of a racecourse between the winning post and the last turn.

  2. A straight line.

  3. A straight form or position.

  4. Games A poker hand containing five cards of various suits in numerical sequence, ranked above three of a kind and below a flush.

  5. A conventional person, especially one considered a member of established society.

  6. A heterosexual person.


[Middle English, from past participle of strecchen, to stretch; see stretch.]
straight'ly adv., straight'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary
straight

  1. mod.
    honest; unembellished. : Have I ever been anything but straight with you?
  2. n.
    a tobacco cigarette; a tobacco cigarette butt. (As opposed to a marijuana cigarette. See also slim.) : No, I want a straight. That spliff makes me sneeze.
  3. mod.
    having to do with undiluted liquor. : I'll take mine straight.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

straight  (adj.1)
c.1350, "direct, undeviating, not crooked," prop. "that which is stretched," adj. use of O.E. streht (altered, by analogy with streccan, from earlier streaht), pp. of streccan "to stretch" (see stretch). Meaning "true, direct, honest" is from 1530. Of communication, "clear, unambiguous," from 1862. Sense of "undiluted, uncompromising" (e.g. straight whiskey, 1874) is Amer.Eng., first recorded 1856. Theatrical sense of "serious" (as opposed to popular or comic) is attested from 1895; vaudeville slang straight man first attested 1923. Go straight in the underworld slang sense is from 1919; straighten up "become respectable" is from 1907. Straight arrow "decent, conventional person" is 1969, from archetypal Native American brave name. To keep a straight face first recorded 1897; straight shooter is from 1928; straight-edge as a punk subculture is attested by 1987.

straight  (adj.2)
"conventional," especially "heterosexual," 1941, probably in part from straight and narrow path "course of conventional morality and law-abiding behavior," which is based on a misreading of Matt. vii.14 (where the gate is actually strait), and the other influence seems to be from strait-laced.

straight  (n.)
1864, "straight part of a race track," from straight (adj.1). Poker sense attested from 1841. Meaning "conventional person" is first recorded 1967 (see straight (adj.2)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

straight

In addition to the idioms beginning with straight, also see (straight) from the horse's mouth; get something straight; give it to (someone straight); go straight; keep a straight face; right (straight) out; set straight; shoot straight.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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