— straightly , adv. — straightness , n.
/strayt/ , adj. straighter, straightest , adv. , n.
adj.
1. without a bend, angle, or curve; not curved; direct: a straight path.
2. exactly vertical or horizontal; in a perfectly vertical or horizontal plane: a straight table.
3. (of a line) generated by a point moving at a constant velocity with respect to another point.
4. evenly or uprightly formed or set: straight shoulders.
5. without circumlocution; frank; candid: straight speaking.
6. honest, honorable, or upright, as conduct, dealings, methods, or persons.
7. Informal. reliable, as a report or information.
8. right or correct, as reasoning, thinking, or a thinker.
9. in the proper order or condition: Things are straight now.
10. continuous or unbroken: in straight succession.
11. thoroughgoing or unreserved: a straight Republican.
12. supporting or cast for all candidates of one political party: to vote a straight ticket.
13. unmodified or unaltered: a straight comedy.
14. without change in the original melody or tempo: She does straight songs, with just the piano backing her.
15. Informal.
a. heterosexual.
b. traditional; conventional.
c. free from using narcotics.
d. not engaged in crime; law-abiding; reformed.
16. undiluted, as whiskey.
17. Theat. (of acting) straightforward; not striving for effect.
18. Journalism. written or to be written in a direct and objective manner, with no attempt at individual styling, comment, etc.: She gave me a straight story. Treat it as straight news.
19. Cards. containing cards in consecutive denominations, as a two, three, four, five, and six, in various suits.
adv.
20. in a straight line: to walk straight.
21. in an even form or position: pictures hung straight.
22. in an erect posture: to stand up straight.
23. directly: to go straight to a place.
24. without circumlocution; frankly; candidly (often fol. by out ).
25. honestly, honorably, or virtuously: to live straight.
26. without intricate involvement; not in a roundabout way; to the point.
27. in a steady course (often fol. by on ): to keep straight on after the second traffic light.
28. into the proper form or condition; in order: to put a room straight.
29. in possession of the truth or of true ideas: I want to set you straight before you make mistakes.
30. sold without discount regardless of the quantity bought: Candy bars are twenty cents straight.
31. Journalism. directly and objectively: Write the circus story straight.
32. without personal embellishments, additions, etc.: Tell the story straight. Sing the song straight.
33. (of liquor) served or drunk without ice, a mixer, or water; neat: He drank his whiskey straight.
34. go straight , Informal. to live a law-abiding life; no longer engage in crime.
35. play it straight , Informal. to do something without jokes, tricks, subterfuge, distortions, or the like: a comedian who plays it straight when he crusades against drug abuse.
36. straight off , without delay; immediately: I told him straight off what I thought about the matter. Also, straight away .
37. straight up , (of a cocktail) served without ice: a gin martini straight up.
n.
38. the condition of being straight.
39. a straight form or position.
40. a straight line.
41. a straight part, as of a racecourse.
42. Informal.
a. a heterosexual.
b. a person who follows traditional or conventional mores.
c. a person who is free from narcotics.
43. Chiefly Games. a succession of strokes, plays, etc., which gives a perfect score.
[ 1250-1300; (adj.) ME; orig. ptp. of strecchen to STRETCH; (adv. and n.) ME, deriv. of the adj. ]
Syn. 5. open, direct. 6. virtuous, just, fair, equitable.
Ant. 1. crooked. 5. devious.