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definitions

straight-out

[streyt-out]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR straight-out ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective Informal.

thoroughgoing: a straight-out Democrat.
frank; aboveboard.

Origin of straight-out

1830–40, Americanism; from phrase straight out

straight

[streyt]

adjective, straight·er, straight·est.

without a bend, angle, or curve; not curved; direct: a straight path.
exactly vertical or horizontal; in a perfectly vertical or horizontal plane: a straight table.
(of a line) generated by a point moving at a constant velocity with respect to another point.
evenly or uprightly formed or set: straight shoulders.
without circumlocution; frank; candid: straight speaking.
honest, honorable, or upright, as conduct, dealings, methods, or persons.
Informal. reliable, as a report or information.
right or correct, as reasoning, thinking, or a thinker.
in the proper order or condition: Things are straight now.
continuous or unbroken: in straight succession.
thoroughgoing or unreserved: a straight Republican.
supporting or cast for all candidates of one political party: to vote a straight ticket.
unmodified or unaltered: a straight comedy.
without change in the original melody or tempo: She does straight songs, with just the piano backing her.
Informal.
  1. heterosexual.
  2. traditional; conventional.
  3. free from using narcotics.
  4. not engaged in crime; law-abiding; reformed.
undiluted, as whiskey.
Theater. (of acting) straightforward; not striving for effect.
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.
Cards. containing cards in consecutive denominations, as a two, three, four, five, and six, in various suits.

adverb

in a straight line: to walk straight.
in an even form or position: pictures hung straight.
in an erect posture: to stand up straight.
directly: to go straight to a place.
without circumlocution; frankly; candidly (often followed by out).
honestly, honorably, or virtuously: to live straight.
without intricate involvement; not in a roundabout way; to the point.
in a steady course (often followed by on): to keep straight on after the second traffic light.
into the proper form or condition; in order: to put a room straight.
in possession of the truth or of true ideas: I want to set you straight before you make mistakes.
sold without discount regardless of the quantity bought: Candy bars are twenty cents straight.
Journalism. directly and objectively: Write the circus story straight.
without personal embellishments, additions, etc.: Tell the story straight. Sing the song straight.
(of liquor) served or drunk without ice, a mixer, or water; neat: He drank his whiskey straight.

noun

the condition of being straight.
a straight form or position.
a straight line.
a straight part, as of a racecourse.
Informal.
  1. a heterosexual.
  2. a person who follows traditional or conventional mores.
  3. a person who is free from narcotics.
Chiefly Games. a succession of strokes, plays, etc., which gives a perfect score.

Idioms

    go straight, Informal. to live a law-abiding life; no longer engage in crime.
    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.
    straight off, without delay; immediately: I told him straight off what I thought about the matter.Also straight away.
    straight up, (of a cocktail) served without ice: a gin martini straight up.

Origin of straight

1250–1300; (adj.) Middle English; orig. past participle of strecchen to stretch; (adv. and noun) Middle English, derivative of the adj.
Related formsstraight·ly, adverbstraight·ness, nouno·ver·straight, adjectiveo·ver·straight·ly, adverbo·ver·straight·ness, nounsu·per·straight, adjectiveun·straight, adjectiveun·straight·ness, noun
Can be confusedstraight strait

Synonyms for straight

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR straight ON THESAURUS.COM
5. open, direct. 6. virtuous, just, fair, equitable.

Antonyms for straight

1. crooked. 5. devious.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for straight-out

aboveboard, apparent, artless, blunt, bold, brazen, candid, direct, downright, easy, familiar, flat-out, forthright, free, guileless, honest, ingenuous, matter-of-fact, naive, natural

Examples from the Web for straight-out

Contemporary Examples of straight-out

  • I tried to get them to read The Turner Diaries, but they straight-out rebelled.

    The Daily Beast logo
    Junot Díaz: How I Write

    Noah Charney

    August 21, 2013

  • The purchase of food and drink to attract crowds to events - and straight-out cash payments to bribe uncommitted voters.

    The Daily Beast logo

Historical Examples of straight-out

British Dictionary definitions for straight-out

straight-out

adjective informal

complete; thoroughgoing
frank or honest

straight

adjective

not curved or crooked; continuing in the same direction without deviating
straightforward, outright, or candida straight rejection
even, level, or upright in shape or position
in keeping with the facts; accurate
honest, respectable, or reliable
accurate or logicalstraight reasoning
continuous; uninterrupted
(esp of an alcoholic drink) undiluted; neat
not crisp, kinked, or curlystraight hair
correctly arranged; orderly
(of a play, acting style, etc) straightforward or serious
journalism (of a story, article, etc) giving the facts without unnecessary embellishment
US sold at a fixed unit price irrespective of the quantity sold
boxing (of a blow) delivered with an unbent arma straight left
(of the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine) in line, rather than in a V-formation or in some other arrangementa straight eight
a slang word for heterosexual
informal no longer owing or being owed somethingif you buy the next round we'll be straight
slang conventional in views, customs, appearance, etc
slang not using narcotics; not addicted

adverb

in a straight line or direct course
immediately; at oncehe came straight back
in an even, level, or upright position
without cheating, lying, or unreliabilitytell it to me straight
continuously; uninterruptedly
US without discount regardless of the quantity sold
(often foll by out) frankly; candidlyhe told me straight out
go straight informal to reform after having been dishonest or a criminal

noun

the state of being straight
a straight line, form, part, or position
British a straight part of a racetrackUS name: straightaway
poker
  1. five cards that are in sequence irrespective of suit
  2. a hand containing such a sequence
  3. (as modifier)a straight flush
slang a conventional person
slang a heterosexual person
slang a cigarette containing only tobacco, without marijuana, etc
Derived Formsstraightly, adverbstraightness, noun

Word Origin for straight

C14: from the past participle of Old English streccan to stretch
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
Word Origin and History for straight-out

straight

adj.1

mid-14c., "direct, undeviating, not crooked," properly "that which is stretched," adjectival use of Old English streht (altered, by analogy with streccan, from earlier streaht), past participle of streccan "to stretch" (see stretch (v.)). Meaning "true, direct, honest" is from 1520s. Of communication, "clear, unambiguous," from 1862. Sense of "undiluted, uncompromising" (e.g. straight whiskey, 1874) is American English, 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, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with straight-out

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.