straight

[ streyt ]
See synonyms for: straightstraightsstraightlystraightness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,straight·er, straight·est.
  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.

  1. (of a line) generated by a point moving at a constant velocity with respect to another point.

  2. evenly or uprightly formed or set: straight shoulders.

  3. without circumlocution; frank; candid: straight speaking.

  4. honest, honorable, or upright, as conduct, dealings, methods, or persons.

  5. Informal. reliable, as a report or information.

  6. right or correct, as reasoning, thinking, or a thinker: Her book on the subject is a cornucopia of sanity, straight thinking, and clear vision.

  7. in the proper order or condition: Things are straight now.

  8. continuous or unbroken: in straight succession.

  9. thoroughgoing or unreserved: a straight Republican.

  10. supporting or cast for all candidates of one political party: to vote a straight ticket.

  11. unmodified or unaltered: a straight comedy.

  12. without change in the original melody or tempo: She does straight songs, with just the piano backing her.

  13. Informal.

  14. not mixed with anything; undiluted, as whiskey.

  15. Theater. (of acting) straightforward; not striving for effect.

  16. 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.

  17. Cards. containing cards in consecutive denominations, as a two, three, four, five, and six, in various suits.

adverb
  1. in a straight line: to walk straight.

  2. in an even form or position: pictures hung straight.

  1. in an erect posture: to stand up straight.

  2. directly: to go straight to a place.

  3. without circumlocution; frankly; candidly (often followed by out).

  4. honestly, honorably, or virtuously: to live straight.

  5. without intricate involvement; not in a roundabout way; to the point.

  6. in a steady course (often followed by on): to keep straight on after the second traffic light.

  7. into the proper form or condition; in order: to put a room straight.

  8. in possession of the truth or of true ideas: I want to set you straight before you make mistakes.

  9. sold without discount regardless of the quantity bought: Candy bars are twenty cents straight.

  10. Journalism. directly and objectively: Write the circus story straight.

  11. without personal embellishments, additions, etc.: Tell the story straight.Sing the song straight.

  12. (of liquor) served or drunk without ice, a mixer, or water; neat: He drank his whiskey straight.

noun
  1. the condition of being straight.

  2. a straight form or position.

  1. a straight line.

  2. a straight part, as of a racecourse.

  3. Informal.

    • a person who follows traditional or conventional mores.

    • a person who is free from narcotics.

  4. Chiefly Games. a succession of strokes, plays, etc., which gives a perfect score.

Idioms about straight

  1. go straight, Informal. to live a law-abiding life; no longer engage in crime.

  2. 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.

  1. straight off, without delay; immediately: I told him straight off what I thought about the matter.: Also straight away.

  2. straight up, (of a cocktail) served without ice: a gin martini straight up.

Origin of straight

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (adjective), originally past participle of strecchen “to stretch”; see origin at stretch

Other words for straight

Opposites for straight

Other words from straight

  • straight·ly, adverb
  • straight·ness, noun
  • o·ver·straight, adjective
  • o·ver·straight·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·straight·ness, noun
  • su·per·straight, adjective
  • un·straight, adjective
  • un·straight·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with straight

Words Nearby straight

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

How to use straight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for straight

straight

/ (streɪt) /


adjective
  1. not curved or crooked; continuing in the same direction without deviating

  2. straightforward, outright, or candid: a straight rejection

  1. even, level, or upright in shape or position

  2. in keeping with the facts; accurate

  3. honest, respectable, or reliable

  4. accurate or logical: straight reasoning

  5. continuous; uninterrupted

  6. (esp of an alcoholic drink) undiluted; neat

  7. not crisp, kinked, or curly: straight hair

  8. correctly arranged; orderly

  9. (of a play, acting style, etc) straightforward or serious

  10. journalism (of a story, article, etc) giving the facts without unnecessary embellishment

  11. US sold at a fixed unit price irrespective of the quantity sold

  12. boxing (of a blow) delivered with an unbent arm: a straight left

  13. (of the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine) in line, rather than in a V-formation or in some other arrangement: a straight eight

  14. a slang word for heterosexual

  15. informal no longer owing or being owed something: if you buy the next round we'll be straight

  16. slang conventional in views, customs, appearance, etc

  17. slang not using narcotics; not addicted

adverb
  1. in a straight line or direct course

  2. immediately; at once: he came straight back

  1. in an even, level, or upright position

  2. without cheating, lying, or unreliability: tell it to me straight

  3. continuously; uninterruptedly

  4. US without discount regardless of the quantity sold

  5. (often foll by out) frankly; candidly: he told me straight out

  6. go straight informal to reform after having been dishonest or a criminal

noun
  1. the state of being straight

  2. a straight line, form, part, or position

  1. British a straight part of a racetrack: US name: straightaway

  2. poker

    • five cards that are in sequence irrespective of suit

    • a hand containing such a sequence

    • (as modifier): a straight flush

  3. slang a conventional person

  4. slang a heterosexual person

  5. slang a cigarette containing only tobacco, without marijuana, etc

Origin of straight

1
C14: from the past participle of Old English streccan to stretch

Derived forms of straight

  • straightly, adverb
  • straightness, noun

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with straight

straight

In addition to the idioms beginning with straight

  • straight and narrow, the
  • straight as an arrow
  • straighten out
  • straighten up
  • straight face
  • straight from the horse's mouth
  • straight from the shoulder
  • straight goods
  • straight off
  • straight out
  • straight talk
  • straight ticket
  • straight up

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® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.