straight

straight¹ W2S1 [streıt] adv

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1¦(in a straight line)¦

2¦(position)¦

3¦(immediately)¦

4¦(one after the other)¦

5¦(honest)¦

6 think/see straight

7 straight away

8 go straight

9 straight up

10 straight from the shoulder

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1.) ¦(IN A STRAIGHT LINE)¦

in a line or direction that is not curved or bent

straight ahead/at/down/in front of etc

▪ The book is on the table straight in front of you.

▪ She was looking straight at me.

▪ Terry was so tired he couldn't walk straight.

▪ He was sitting with his legs stretched straight out in front of him.

2.) ¦(POSITION)¦

in a level or correct position

▪ He stopped in front of the mirror to put his tie straight.

▪ Sit up straight, don't slouch.

3.) ¦(IMMEDIATELY)¦

immediately, without delay, or without doing anything else first

straight to/up/down/back etc

▪ I went straight up to bed.

▪ Go straight home and tell your mother.

straight after

▪ I've got a meeting straight after lunch.

▪ I think I should get straight to the point .

4.) ¦(ONE AFTER THE OTHER)¦

happening one after the other in a series

▪ He's been without sleep now for three days straight.

5.) ¦(HONEST)¦ also straight out

if you say or ask something straight, you say it in an honest, direct way, without trying to hide your meaning

▪ I just told him straight that I wouldn't do it.

▪ She came straight out with it and said she was leaving.

▪ I hope for your sake you're playing it straight (=being honest) .

▪ I told him straight to his face (=speaking directly to him) what I thought of him.

6.) think/see straight

if you cannot think or see straight, you cannot think or see clearly

▪ Turn the radio down, I can't think straight.

7.) straight away also straight off

BrE spoken immediately or without delay

▪ I phoned my mum straight away.

8.) go straight informal

to stop being a criminal and live an honest life

▪ Tony's been trying to go straight for about six months.

9.) straight upspoken

a) used to ask someone if they are telling the truth

▪ Straight up? Did you really pay that much for it?

b) used to emphasize that what you are saying is true

▪ No, straight up, I've never seen him before.

10.) straight from the shoulder

BrE informal if someone speaks straight from the shoulder, they say things in a very direct way, without trying to be polite

straight ²

straight² W3S2 adj comparative straighter superlative straightest

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1¦(not bending or curving)¦

2¦(level/upright)¦

3¦(truthful)¦

4¦(one after another)¦

5¦(tidy)¦

6 get something straight

7 set/put somebody straight

8 straight face

9¦(sexual choice)¦

10¦(alcoholic drink)¦

11¦(not owing money)¦

12¦(choice/exchange)¦

13¦(fight/competition)¦

14¦(normal)¦

15¦(not funny)¦

16¦(only one type)¦

17¦(drugs)¦

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[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: From an old past participle of stretch]

1.) ¦(NOT BENDING OR CURVING)¦

something that is straight does not bend or curve

▪ a long, straight road

▪ Try to keep your legs straight.

▪ Always lift with a straight back.

▪ her long, straight black hair

▪ They sat down in a straight line .

▪ The road was dead straight (=completely straight) .

2.) ¦(LEVEL/UPRIGHT)¦

level or upright, and not leaning to one side

▪ Is my tie straight?

▪ straight white teeth

3.) ¦(TRUTHFUL)¦

honest and truthful

▪ I'd like a straight answer please.

▪ Just give me a straight yes or no.

▪ I think it's time for some straight talk now.

be straight with sb

▪ I wish you'd just be straight with me.

4.) ¦(ONE AFTER ANOTHER)¦ [only before noun]

happening immediately one after another in a series

▪ The team now has an amazing record of 43 straight wins.

5.) ¦(TIDY)¦ [not before noun]

a room that is straight is clean and tidy and everything is in its proper place

▪ It took me two hours to get the house straight .

6.) get sth straight

spoken to understand the facts of a situation and be able to tell them correctly

▪ I wanted to get the facts straight.

▪ Let me get this straight - Tom sold the car and gave you the money?

7.) set/put sb straight

to make someone understand the true facts about a situation

▪ Tell him to ask Ruth - she'll put him straight.

8.) straight face

if you have a straight face, you are not laughing or smiling even though you would like to

▪ I found it very difficult to keep a straight face .

9.) ¦(SEXUAL CHOICE)¦ informal

someone who is straight is attracted to people of the opposite sex

= ↑heterosexual

10.)¦(ALCOHOLIC DRINK)¦

a straight alcoholic drink has no water or any other drink added to it

▪ a straight whisky

11.) ¦(NOT OWING MONEY)¦ [not before noun]

spoken if two people are straight, they no longer owe money to each other

▪ If you give me £10 then we're straight.

12.) ¦(CHOICE/EXCHANGE)¦ [only before noun]

a straight choice or exchange is between only two possible choices or things

▪ It was a straight choice between my career or my family.

▪ We did a straight swap - one of my cards for one of his.

13.) ¦(FIGHT/COMPETITION)¦ [only before noun]

a straight fight or competition is between only two people

▪ The election is now a straight fight between Labour and the Conservatives.

14.) ¦(NORMAL)¦ informal

someone who is straight behaves in a way that is accepted as normal by many people but which you think is boring

15.) ¦(NOT FUNNY)¦

a straight actor or character does not try to make people laugh

16.) ¦(ONLY ONE TYPE)¦

completely one particular type of something

▪ It's not a straight historical novel.

17.) ¦(DRUGS)¦ informal

someone who is straight does not take illegal drugs

→set/put the record straight at ↑record

straight ³

straight³ n

1.) [singular] especially BrE the straight part of a ↑racetrack

2.) the straight and narrow

old-fashioned an honest and morally good way of life

3.) informal

someone who is attracted to people of the opposite sex

≠ ↑gay