straight

[ streyt ]

adjective

, straight·er, straight·est.

1. without a bend, angle, or curve; not curved; direct:

   a straight path.

   Antonyms: crooked

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.

   Synonyms: direct, open

   Antonyms: circuitous

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

   Synonyms: equitable, fair, just, virtuous

7. Informal. reliable, as a report or information.
8. right or correct, as reasoning, thinking, or a thinker:

   Her book on the subject is a cornucopia of sanity, straight thinking, and clear vision.

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.
    1. heterosexual.
    2. traditional; conventional.
    3. free from using narcotics.
    4. not engaged in crime; law-abiding; reformed.
16. not mixed with anything; 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

1. in a straight line:

   to walk straight.

2. in an even form or position:

   pictures hung straight.

3. in an erect posture:

   to stand up straight.

4. directly:

   to go straight to a place.

5. without circumlocution; frankly; candidly (often followed by out ).
6. honestly, honorably, or virtuously:

   to live straight.

7. without intricate involvement; not in a roundabout way; to the point.
8. in a steady course (often followed by on ):

   to keep straight on after the second traffic light.

9. into the proper form or condition; in order:

   to put a room straight.

10. in possession of the truth or of true ideas:

    I want to set you straight before you make mistakes.

11. sold without discount regardless of the quantity bought:

    Candy bars are twenty cents straight.

12. Journalism. directly and objectively:

    Write the circus story straight.

13. without personal embellishments, additions, etc.:

    Tell the story straight.

    Sing the song straight.

14. (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.
3. a straight line.
4. a straight part, as of a racecourse.
5. Informal.
   1. a heterosexual.
   2. a person who follows traditional or conventional mores.
   3. a person who is free from narcotics.
6. Chiefly Games. a succession of strokes, plays, etc., which gives a perfect score.

straight

/ streɪt /

adjective

1. not curved or crooked; continuing in the same direction without deviating
2. straightforward, outright, or candid

   a straight rejection

3. even, level, or upright in shape or position
4. in keeping with the facts; accurate
5. honest, respectable, or reliable
6. accurate or logical

   straight reasoning

7. continuous; uninterrupted
8. (esp of an alcoholic drink) undiluted; neat
9. not crisp, kinked, or curly

   straight hair

10. correctly arranged; orderly
11. (of a play, acting style, etc) straightforward or serious
12. journalism (of a story, article, etc) giving the facts without unnecessary embellishment
13. sold at a fixed unit price irrespective of the quantity sold
14. boxing (of a blow) delivered with an unbent arm

    a straight left

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

    a straight eight

16. See heterosexual
    a slang word for heterosexual
17. informal.
    no longer owing or being owed something

    if you buy the next round we'll be straight

18. slang.
    conventional in views, customs, appearance, etc
19. slang.
    not using narcotics; not addicted

adverb

1. in a straight line or direct course
2. immediately; at once

   he came straight back

3. in an even, level, or upright position
4. without cheating, lying, or unreliability

   tell it to me straight

5. continuously; uninterruptedly
6. without discount regardless of the quantity sold
7. often foll by out frankly; candidly

   he told me straight out

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

noun

1. the state of being straight
2. a straight line, form, part, or position
3. a straight part of a racetrack US namestraightaway
4. poker
   1. five cards that are in sequence irrespective of suit
   2. a hand containing such a sequence
   3. ( as modifier )

      a straight flush

5. slang.
   a conventional person
6. slang.
   a heterosexual person
7. slang.
   a cigarette containing only tobacco, without marijuana, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈstraightness, noun
• ˈstraightly, adverb

Other Words From

• 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of straight¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of straight¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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.

3. straight off, without delay; immediately: Also straight away.

   I told him straight off what I thought about the matter.

4. straight up, (of a cocktail) served without ice:

   a gin martini straight up.

More idioms and phrases containing straight

• (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

Example Sentences

One person up front, the other standing just behind and to the side, eyes straight ahead.

From Washington Post

Wacom Intuos drawing tabletIf you want to go straight to digital, but are not ready to invest in an iPad Pro, then Wacom’s Intuos drawing tablet is a great way to experiment without breaking the bank.

From Popular-Science

Look to an ergonomic desk chair for great supportThe best ergonomic desk chair will make sitting up straight feel easier than slouching.

From Popular-Science

It gives us a chance to learn the things that we wouldn’t know going straight into it.

From Washington Post

Companies will have the real thing, straight from your brain.

From Science News For Students

In straight relationships with an age gap, words like ‘gold-digger’ and ‘trophy wife’ get thrown around.

From The Daily Beast

Except the Braves did not win 14 straight pennants (they did win 14 straight division titles), and Smoltz is a also Republican.

From The Daily Beast

Denied parole nine straight times, he insists he is innocent of the crime for which he was convicted.

From The Daily Beast

Amazing how people can still haul this one out with a straight face.

From The Daily Beast

A new book from gay rights activist Marc Solomon sets the record straight about how gay marriage victories were really won.

From The Daily Beast

She sat straight up in bed, and jerked her hands to her head, and screamed long and terribly.

From Project Gutenberg

This wasn't at all what he meant to say, and it sounded very ridiculous; but somehow the words wouldn't come straight.

From Project Gutenberg

She had listened—she had listened intently, looking straight out of the window and without moving.

From Project Gutenberg

It mounted straight as a plume for a little way, until it met the cool air of evening which was beginning to fall.

From Project Gutenberg

This judicial bent of the child is a curious one and often develops a priggish fondness for setting others morally straight.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• consecutive
• nonstop
• short
• smooth
• solid
• straightforward
• successive
• true