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straightedge

[ streyt-ej ]
/ ˈstreɪtˌɛdʒ /
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noun
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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Origin of straightedge

First recorded in 1805–15; straight + edge

Words nearby straightedge

straight-backed, straight bat, straight bill of lading, straight-chain, straight chair, straightedge, straighten, straighten out, straighten up, straight face, straight fight

Other definitions for straightedge (2 of 2)

straight-edge
[ streyt-ej ]
/ ˈstreɪtˌɛdʒ /
adjective
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. 2023

Words related to straightedge

measure, rule, yardstick, folding rule, slide rule

How to use straightedge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for straightedge (1 of 2)

straightedge
/ (ˈstreɪtˌɛdʒ) /
noun
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 straightedge (2 of 2)

straight-edge
adjective
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
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