straighten out
Britishverb
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to make or become less complicated or confused
the situation will straighten out
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to reform or become reformed
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Clear up disorder, a confusion, or a misunderstanding, as in This is an awful mess; I hope you'll straighten it out , or I don't understand; please straighten me out . [Late 1800s]
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Adopt an honest, upright course, as in He's only sixteen; I'm sure he'll straighten out before long . [First half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Auntie Matchmaker pushed back her bowl, set the frame on the table, and straightened out the cloth.
From Literature
Again, when the dogs were straightened out and moving he waved to me as the sled passed close to him.
From Literature
After I straightened out her team, I went over to the sled, which was teetering on the edge of the bluff.
From Literature
But there were a few things in my mind that I needed to get straightened out.
From Literature
“How about some observational drawings of one of the animals? It’ll count as class credit for today. By tomorrow I’m sure everything will be straightened out.”
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
