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straight (strāt)
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adj. straight·er, straight·est
1. Extending continuously in the same direction without curving: a straight line.
2. Having no waves or bends: straight hair.
3.
a. Not bent or bowed; rigid or erect: a straight, strong back.
b. Sports Of or relating to a midair position in diving or gymnastics in which the body is held rigid without bending at the hips or knees and the feet are kept together.
4. Perfectly horizontal or vertical; level or even: The mirror isn't straight.
5.
a. Direct and candid: a straight answer.
b. Following a direct or correct method or approach; systematic: straight reasoning.
c. Coming from a reliable source; factual: a straight tip; straight information.
6.
a. Showing or marked by honesty or fair-mindedness: straight business dealings.
b. Right; correct: made sure the facts were straight in the report.
7. Neatly arranged; orderly: The room is straight again.
8.
a. Uninterrupted; consecutive: sick for five straight days; their fourth straight victory.
b. Having the parts or details in correct sequence.
c. Games Constituting a straight in poker.
9. Characterized by undeviating support, as of a principle or a political party: always votes a straight party line; a straight Democrat.
10.
a. Not deviating from what is considered socially normal, usual, or acceptable; conventional.
b. Conventional to an extreme degree.
11. Heterosexual.
12. Slang Not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
13.
a. Not deviating from the normal or strict form: straight Freudian analysis.
b. Not altered, embellished, or modified: does straight comedy.
14.
a. Concerned with serious or important matters: a straight drama without comedy or music.
b. Of or relating to a straight man.
15. Not mixed with anything else; undiluted: straight bourbon.
16. Sold without discount regardless of the amount purchased.
adv.
1. In a straight line; directly.
2. In an erect posture; upright.
3. Sports In the straight position, as in diving.
4. Without detour or delay: went straight home.
5. Without circumlocution; candidly: I'll say it to you straight: you're wrong.
6. In a neat and orderly condition: put the living room straight.
7. In an honest, law-abiding, or virtuous manner: lives straight.
8. Without stopping; continuously: walked six hours straight.
9. Without embellishment or modification: tell the joke straight.
10. Without ice, water, or a mixer: drink whiskey straight.
11.
a. See straight off.
b. See straight up.
n.
1.
a. The straight part, as of a road: “The car darted forward on to the straight” (Kingsley Amis).
b. The straight part of a racecourse between the winning post and the last turn.
2. A straight line.
3. A straight form or position.
4. Games A poker hand containing five cards of various suits in numerical sequence, ranked above three of a kind and below a flush.
5. A conventional person, especially one considered a member of established society.
6. A heterosexual person.

[Middle English , from past participle of strecchen, to stretch; see STRETCH.]

straightly adv.
straightness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.