/ streɪt; NAmE / adverb , adjective , noun
■ adverb
( straight·er , straight·est )
NOT IN CURVE
1.
not in a curve or at an angle; in a straight line :
Keep straight on for two miles.
Can you stretch your arms out straighter?
He was too tired to walk straight.
I can't shoot straight (= accurately) .
She looked me straight in the eye.
IMMEDIATELY
2.
by a direct route; immediately :
Come straight home after school.
I was so tired I went straight to bed.
She went straight from college to a top job.
I'm going to the library straight after the class.
I'll come straight to the point —your work isn't good enough.
IN LEVEL / CORRECT POSITION
3.
in or into a level or vertical position; in or into the correct position :
Sit up straight!
She pulled her hat straight.
HONESTLY
4.
honestly and directly :
I told him straight that I didn't like him.
Are you playing straight with me?
WITHOUT INTERRUPTION
5.
continuously without interruption :
They had been working for 16 hours straight.
•
IDIOMS
- go straight
- play it straight
- straight away
- straight from the shoulder
- straight off / out
- straight up
—more at think verb
■ adjective
( straight·er , straight·est )
WITHOUT CURVES
1.
without a bend or curve; going in one direction only :
a straight line
a straight road
long straight hair (= without curls)
a boat sailing in a straight line
straight-backed chairs
—picture at line
CLOTHING
2.
not fitting close to the body and not curving away from the body :
a straight skirt
AIM / BLOW
3.
going directly to the correct place :
a straight punch to the face
IN LEVEL / CORRECT POSITION
4.
positioned in the correct way; level, vertical or parallel to sth :
Is my tie straight?
CLEAN / NEAT
5.
[ not usually before noun ] clean and neat, with everything in the correct place :
It took hours to get the house straight.
HONEST
6.
honest and direct :
a straight answer to a straight question
I don't think you're being straight with me.
It's time for some straight talking .
➡ note at honest
CHOICE
7.
[ only before noun ] simple; involving only two clear choices :
It was a straight choice between taking the job and staying out of work.
( BrE )
The election was a straight fight between the two main parties.
ACTOR / PLAY
8.
[ only before noun ] ( of an actor or a play ) not connected with comedy or musical theatre, but with serious theatre
WITHOUT INTERRUPTION
9.
[ only before noun ] one after another in a series, without interruption
SYN consecutive :
The team has had five straight wins.
ALCOHOLIC DRINK
10.
( NAmE ) ( BrE neat ) not mixed with water or anything else
NORMAL / BORING
11.
( informal ) you can use straight to describe a person who is normal and ordinary, but who you consider dull and boring
SEX
12.
( informal ) heterosexual
OPP gay
► straight·ness noun [ U ]
•
IDIOMS
- get sth straight
- put / set sb straight (about / on sth)
- (earn / get) straight A's
- the straight and narrow
- a straight face
—more at ramrod , record noun
■ noun
SEX
1.
( informal ) a person who has sexual relationships with people of the opposite sex, rather than the same sex :
gays and straights
OF ROAD / TRACK
2.
( NAmE also straight·away ) a straight part of a racetrack or road
—see also the home straight
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (as an adjective and adverb): archaic past participle of stretch .