straight
straight
Pronunciation
Straight: /streɪt/
One syllable:
/str/ - consonant cluster (voiceless alveolar fricative + voiceless alveolar stop + voiced alveolar trill)
/eɪ/ - diphthong (long 'a' sound)
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Adjective: straight (comparative: straighter, superlative: straightest)
Adverb: straight
Noun: straight (plural: straights)
Verb: straight (present participle: straighting, past tense: straighted, past participle: straighted) - Note: While "straight" can be used informally as a verb (e.g., "to straight something out"), "straighten" is far more common and grammatically preferred for the verb form.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Extending uniformly in one direction only; without a curve or bend.
Synonyms: unbent, direct, linear, aligned, even
Antonyms: curved, bent, winding, crooked, zigzag
Orderly, neat, or in proper arrangement.
Synonyms: tidy, orderly, neat, arranged, aligned
Antonyms: messy, disorganized, disheveled, chaotic, untidy
Honest, direct, and frank in manner or speech.
Synonyms: honest, frank, candid, direct, sincere
Antonyms: dishonest, deceitful, evasive, indirect, devious
In a continuous or unbroken line or succession; without deviation.
Synonyms: continuous, unbroken, uninterrupted, consecutive, successive
Antonyms: intermittent, broken, discontinuous, irregular, sporadic
Not having drunk alcohol or taken drugs; sober.
Synonyms: sober, clear-headed, abstinent, clean
Antonyms: drunk, intoxicated, inebriated, high, impaired
Adverb
In a direct line or manner; without deviation.
Synonyms: directly, undeviatingly, unswervingly, precisely
Antonyms: indirectly, circuitously, meanderingly, deviously
Immediately or without delay.
Synonyms: immediately, directly, instantly, at once, promptly
Antonyms: later, eventually, delayed, leisurely, gradually
Noun
A straight part or section, especially of a racecourse or road.
Synonyms: stretch, segment, section, length, tangent
Antonyms: curve, bend, turn, corner, zigzag
(Informal) A heterosexual person.
Synonyms: heterosexual
Antonyms: homosexual, gay, lesbian
Verb
(Informal, often used with "out") To make or become straight.
Synonyms: straighten, align, unbend, level
Antonyms: bend, curve, twist, distort
Examples of Use
Books:
"The path ahead was long and straight, leading directly to the old oak tree." (From a novel)
"She looked him straight in the eye, her resolve unwavering." (From a biography)
Newspapers:
"The police closed the road for two hours after the accident, asking drivers to go straight to the next exit." ( The Daily Herald)
"The athlete ran the final straight of the track with incredible speed, securing the gold medal." (Sports Times)
Online Publications:
"How to keep your posture straight while working from home." (Lifehackers)
"Are you a straight ally? Understanding what it means to support the LGBTQ+ community."
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"No, no, hold the camera straight!" (Line from a YouTube video tutorial)
"Is the character truly straight, or is there a subtle hint of something more?" (Discussion forum about a TV show)
"You went straight for the classic rock section, didn't you?" (Dialogue in a movie)
General Public Discourse:
"Can you tell me how to get to the post office? Just go straight down this road and it'll be on your left." (Casual conversation)
"I prefer to be straight with people, even if the truth is difficult to hear." (Personal statement)
He managed to keep a straight face even when telling the most ridiculous joke." (Everyday observation)
10 Quotes Using Straight
"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye." (Helen Keller)
"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight." (Phyllis Diller)
"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first." (Chanakya)
"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line." (Archimedes)
"The straight line belongs to men, the curved one to God." (Antoni Gaudi)
"You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight." (Barry Goldwater)
"I see that the path of progress has never taken a straight line, but has always been a zigzag course amid the conflicting forces of right and wrong, truth and error, justice and injustice, cruelty and mercy." (Kelly Miller)
"You cannot teach a crab to walk straight." (Aristophanes)
"Go right straight down the road, to do what is best, and to do it frankly and without evasion." (George C. Marshall)
"My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line." (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)
Etymology
The word "straight" comes from an old Germanic root that meant "stretched" or "drawn out." Imagine pulling a string tight – it becomes straight.
The earliest known uses of "straight" in English, around the 12th century, had a very similar meaning: something that was not crooked or not bent. It described a physical line or path that went directly from one point to another without any curves or turns.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Straight
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using the word "straight":
Go straight: To live an honest life after being involved in crime.
Straight as an arrow: Very direct, honest, or in a perfectly straight line.
Get something straight: To clarify or understand something clearly.
Play it straight: To act honestly and fairly; to follow the rules.
Straight face: An expressionless face, especially when trying not to laugh.
Keep a straight face: To manage to maintain a serious or neutral expression.
Straight talk: Frank, direct, and honest conversation.
Give someone the straight goods: To tell someone the unvarnished truth.
Straight up: (informal) Directly, honestly; also, a drink served without ice.
Straight and narrow: A morally correct or law-abiding path.
Set the record straight: To correct a misunderstanding or inaccuracy.
Straight from the horse's mouth: Directly from the original or most reliable source.
Straight out of central casting: Appearing perfectly suited for a particular role or stereotype.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of straight from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
