straightedge

[ streyt-ej ]
See synonyms for straightedge on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a bar or strip of wood, plastic, or metal having at least one long edge of sufficiently reliable straightness for use in drawing or testing straight lines, plane surfaces, etc.

Origin of straightedge

1
First recorded in 1805–15; straight + edge

Words Nearby straightedge

Other definitions for straight-edge (2 of 2)

straight-edge
[ streyt-ej ]

adjective
  1. advocating abstinence from alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and sex and sometimes advocating vegetarianism.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use straightedge in a sentence

  • The cutter is guided along the straightedge as shown in Fig. 1.

  • The straightedge and the compasses are the only two drawing instruments recognized in elementary geometry.

    The Teaching of Geometry | David Eugene Smith
  • In other words, the trisection of any angle, by the use of the straightedge and compasses alone, is impossible.

    The Teaching of Geometry | David Eugene Smith

British Dictionary definitions for straightedge (1 of 2)

straightedge

/ (ˈstreɪtˌɛdʒ) /


noun
  1. a stiff strip of wood or metal that has one edge straight and true and is used for ruling and testing straight lines

Derived forms of straightedge

  • straightedged, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for straight-edge (2 of 2)

straight-edge

adjective
  1. informal not indulging in any kind of drug-taking or sexual activities

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012