straightedge

American  

[streyt-ej] / ˈstreɪtˌɛdʒ /

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.

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straightedge British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• straightedged
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of straightedge

First recorded in 1805–15; straight + edge

Example Sentences

And though the forms are simple, straightedge and mostly quadrilateral, they’re handled in ways that hint at 3D perspective.

From Washington Post • Aug. 5, 2022

A straightedge can be used to extend a line segment in any direction, and a compass can be used to draw a circle with any radius from the chosen center.

From Scientific American • Sep. 14, 2021

The black x’s eventually became a hallmark of the straightedge hardcore scene.

From The Guardian • Feb. 3, 2016

Whether practiced by straightedge punk bands crossing the country in a van or animal-rights activists gathering for a rally, the embryonic incarnation of veganism usually came with a touch of puritanical renunciation.

From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2015

I got out a straightedge, a protractor, and a compass and carefully drew the nozzle and the casement to the dimensions I had calculated.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam